Honor and Sacrifice
by Silver Phoenix Ranger
Summary: MMPR AU TK full summary inside. This is a battle where the Rangers not only face a loss of power but also the loss of life. They discover the bonds of friendship, the consequences of following their hearts and the real sacrifice of being a Power Ranger
1. A Shattered Peace

**Honor and Sacrifice**

By: Silver Phoenix Ranger

Disclaimer: Power Rangers and all affiliates belong to Saban and Disney. They are being used without permission and no profit is being made from this.

Summary: Shortly after Kimberly turned her power coin over to Kat, Lord Zedd and his wife Rita and all their minions just simply vanish. Now the rangers have just graduated from High School and are spending one last summer together before they start their brand new future. Old Rangers return and they gather together to watch one of their own compete on a global stage. Then all Hell breaks loose. This is a battle where the Rangers not only face a loss of power but also the loss of life. They discover the bonds of friendship, the consequences of following their hearts and the real sacrifice of being a Power Ranger.

**WARNING:** This story contains scenes of violence and some mild profanity. There will also be character death. I did it with much regret, but it was where the story went. Death is an unavoidable part of fighting those who hold no regard for life. For those who love, death is something they will risk when fighting for others.

* * *

**Part One: A Shattered Peace**

Kimberly wondered what the hell was wrong with her. Her heart was hardly beating erratically, she had no problem catching her breath, and the blood that coursed through her veins did not burn with the thrill of the fight.

She was the World Champion and she didn't even give a damn.

She plastered her face with a fake smile and prepared to take the podium. She glanced out at the audience and saw her family cheering loudly and for just a moment, a genuine smile crossed her lips. Then it was gone.

Her victory only served as a reminder of that which she had given up; the world that she had abandoned and the bridges she had burned. "Get it together Kim." She reprimanded herself under her breath, "You made your choice; now live with it." She couldn't look back now.

* * *

Tommy couldn't remember a time when the Youth Center had been so quiet. Usually it was filled with the sound of Ernie's blender, the shouts of the martial arts students or the music that accompanied the many gymnastics or dance classes that were held there.

Today was different.

Today, they all stood still as they watched one of their own twisting high in the air. No one dared to breathe as she manipulated her body with the ease and grace she always carried with her. No one uttered a sound, not even Bulk and Skull, as they all watched her feet smack firmly into the ground and her body remained still.

It wasn't until she threw her arms above her head that the room erupted back to life.

Tommy felt such a surge of emotions; relief, joy, pride, and the gut wrenching pain of knowing she had achieved her goals without him. Once Kim had stuck the landing, he turned to his friends so he wouldn't have to see her face. He didn't want to know how happy she could be without him, especially when he was still trying to convince himself that he was finally happy without her.

Now, an hour later, the room was once again bustling with noise as everyone waited for the medal ceremony.

"To Kimberly Hart," Rocky stood tall and raised his glass, "world class gymnast and world class friend!"

Everyone followed suit "To Kim!"

Tommy was shocked at how easy it was to raise his glass and drink in Kim's name. He had become quite the pro when it came to acting unaffected whenever she was mentioned; that his heart didn't ache every time someone mentioned her name. He had to pretend, not for himself, but for the sake of his friends. After all they were her friends too and while she had chosen to cut him out of her life, she still remained close to her other friends. Well, up until recently that is. Tommy had found it a bit alarming when the others noticed how infrequent Kim's letters had become and how she was talking about continuing on to the Olympics instead of moving back to California and going to college like she had always planned.

_I guess her dreams changed. I wonder what would of happened if I had asked her to stay._ Tommy pushed the thought out of his mind as quickly as he could because he already knew the answer. He would have never been able to ask her something like that. It was unfair, cruel, and their relationship would have ended on a much more miserable note. He let her go and it was her choice to move on or come home where he would have been waiting. He had to ignore the cry of his heart that wanted to track her down and tell her she was wrong, that she had to come home to him. "I can't do that." He muttered under his breath, "It wouldn't be fair."

"What wouldn't be fair?"

The soft accent of Kat's voice broke through Tommy's thoughts and he became painfully aware that all of his friends here staring at him with pity written clearly across their faces. He met Kat's eyes and smiled, "Nothing," He replied, pleased with how calm and cool he sounded, "I was just thinking about something I was talking about with my mom, that's all." No one looked convinced.

"It's Kim, isn't it?" Tommy noticed the hint of sadness in Kat's voice as she spoke; he could see the regret in her blue eyes. "I was worried this might be too much for you."

"Really, it's not." Tommy didn't try to hide the frustration in his voice. "Listen you guys, I'm over it. It's the way things go. The long distance thing was too hard anyway. She moved on and so have I." Tommy punctuated the last sentence and looked directly into Kat's eyes and felt guilty for the lie. His guilt was made worse by the look of obvious disbelief written all over her face.

"Yeah you're over it." Adam quipped, "And Rocky has finally had enough to eat."

"Hey!" Rocky's reply came from a mouth full of pizza.

Billy nodded, "I know you want to deny it Tommy, but it seems quite clear that you still harbor some feelings for Kimberly." He leaned forward and adjusted his glasses while he continued, "Perhaps if you would be more open with us about your feelings we would be able to help." He paused for a moment and Tommy could see that he was considering his next words carefully, "Even if you don't wish to talk to us, I still believe that it is important for you to speak with Kim. You need closure."

"And here I thought you were the genius." Tommy replied with an anger that shocked him, "She cut me out of her life, that's just the way it is."

Everyone was taken aback by the resentment in Tommy's voice and for a moment no one spoke they exchanged glances with once another and Tommy was almost certain he had managed to shut them up.

Then Aisha crossed her arms, leaned back in her chair and frowned at him, "Now you're just being stupid."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." She snapped, "Kimberly didn't want you out of her life. She even said that she would always be your friend, and I happen to know that she was devastated by your choice to cut off contact with her. You're the one who cut her off after the letter came."

Kat gave her friend a cold look, "Aisha, you're not being fair."

"I'm sorry." Aisha's voice softened slightly but her stern expression never wavered. "Listen Tommy, you had every reason to be hurt and upset with Kim after what happened but you only have yourself to blame for hanging on to those feelings instead of dealing with them."

Tommy glanced around the table hoping that someone would come to his defense, but even Kat seemed unable to argue Aisha's point. "Maybe you're right." He reluctantly admitted, "But it's too late now, she's made her choice and I'll have to live with it. Talking isn't going to fix anything." He stood up and gave a half hearted wave. "I think I just need to be alone for a little bit. I'll try to be back in time to watch the medal ceremony."

He expected them all to protest or at least one, probably Kat, to follow him. He hadn't expected Ernie to be the one to rush over and push him back in his seat. "You can't leave yet!" his face was red from running around in excitement and he was having difficulty breathing, "There's a huge surprise on it's way and you can't miss it!" he glanced at his watch, "It's just running a little late."

Tommy wanted to protest, but it was always hard to refuse Ernie after all the man had done and Ernie was never one to disappoint. To Tommy's relief, Ernie's news was a welcome change of subject for the time being. "What kind of surprise, Ernie?" Rocky asked, he was not hiding his excitement well, "Does it have to do with Kim?"

Ernie gave Rocky a sly smile, "It's the best kind of surprise and it involves all of you!"

"Even us?" Bulk came up from behind Ernie and wrapped his thick arm around the man's shoulder.

"Yeah, what's our surprise?" Skull's head appeared over Bulk's shoulder with a big grin on his face. "It had better be good!"

Ernie just rolled his eyes and pulled away from the two, "You'll just have to wait and see. They should be here any minute."

_They?_ Now Tommy's curiosity was really piqued and for the first time all day Tommy forgot to think about Kim while he started going through the list of possibilities. He could only think of a select few that would get Ernie so worked up.

On cue, three distinct figures wearing yellow, black and red walked through the doors as if they had never left.

* * *

Jason felt relieved to be back in Angel Grove. Switzerland was incredible and he had accomplished some fantastic goals at the conference; but Angel Grove always called back to him. Maybe it wasn't the city itself; but what it meant to him. His eyes surveyed the room and landed on a table of shocked onlookers. This is why he--along with Zach and Trini--had decided to return to Angel Grove instead of touring Europe before going to college. This would always be their city; it was where they met each other, grew up with each other, and fought alongside each other. No matter where they went from here; they could always come back here and dwell in the comfort of their friendship.

"I see Billy and the others!"

Trini's exclamation was unusually loud for her quiet demeanor, but it no one was shocked as she threw herself around Billy and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek.

"Wow, I think Billy just turned as red as the Tyrannosaurus Zord!"

Jason turned to Zach and barely contained his laughter. "You're not containing your eagerness any better." He pointed to his friend who was almost dancing with excitement.

Zach just shook his head and clapped him on the back. "Loosen up oh fearless leader. We're home!"

By now, Trini had dragged Billy back and the others were close behind. "Welcome home, bro." Tommy extended his hand and Jason grasped it firmly, he had missed Tommy the most. They were like kindred spirits, equals, rivals, best friends and teammates. "We really missed you all."

Jason took a moment to greet the others and he was hardly surprised to see that Zach had his arm around Adam and Trini held Aisha in a fierce hug. For as little time as they had known their replacements, their friendships were strong. Jason had no doubt it was because they were all Rangers, it was something that they all shared that no one else could possibly comprehend. It was a powerful force in their friendship. He nodded to Billy and embraced Rocky. "Thanks for stepping up." He squeezed his shoulder, "You did awesome."

Rocky placed his hand on Jason's shoulder and looked him square in the eye and as he replied. "I did my best, but I had big shoes to fill. Thank you for giving me the opportunity."

Jason nodded and his eyes drifted on the tall blonde standing behind Tommy. For a moment Jason thought she wasn't part of the group, the way she seemed uncomfortable and the nervous smile she forced on her face. He extended his hand towards her and she tentatively took it.. "You must be Kat; the new Pink."

This caught Zach's attention and he turned away towards Adam and placed his arm around Kat's shoulder. "I heard you're quite a dancer."

Kat's beamed at that statement, "You must be Zach." She seemed to relax a bit, "I've heard good things about you as well."

"The original Black at your service, and these two would be Trini and Jason-original Yellow and Red respectively."

Kat nodded and shook Zach and Trini's hands. "It's nice to meet you all, these guys have told me about all the amazing things you guys have done."

"So, what do you think of being the Pink Ranger?"

Kat turned to Trini and her smile faltered slightly, "I really don't know, I never had to morph" She shrugged her shoulders and Jason could see they had touched upon a sensitive subject. "Right after Kimberly left, Lord Zedd and Rita just vanished. We were really fortunate."

Zach shrugged his shoulders, "You'll probably still get the opportunity to try it out. After all, evil never rests." He stopped and he thought for a moment. "I wouldn't mind another chance at it sometime."

Jason felt his smile grow wistful; he had often had the same longing. "Really?" Kat seemed taken aback at Zach's statement. "You would want to go into battle again? You would give up the normal life you've grown accustomed too?" She shook her head. "I understand going into battle because it's necessary and someone has to do it, but why would you ever want too?"

"Well that's just it," Rocky put his hand on Kat's shoulder and grinned. "Being a Power Ranger becomes a part of your everyday life. It's who we are."

The group nodded in agreement, but Kat simply stood there aghast. "But what about your lives, being a Power Ranger isn't normal! You have to give up so much."

"I guess it just becomes part of who you are." Tommy stepped next to Kat placing his hand on her shoulder, "Even after giving up our Powers, there's nothing normal about us any more. Once a Ranger, always a Ranger."

Jason noticed something akin to pain and regret flash across Kat's eyes and she stepped away from Tommy. "Tommy is indeed correct." Billy continued, "I must admit that there is a certain thrill to being a Power Ranger that I will always miss; but it has created a bond between all of us that cannot be severed. We will never live completely normal lives, but we will not be alone."

"Here, here!"

"Hey you guys, the ceremony is just about to start!" Ernie's voice carried over the crowd. "Kim's taking the podium now!"

"Oh how could we forget?" Aisha was the first to rush towards the television grabbing on the Trini and Kat and pulling them with her. Jason watched Tommy carefully, trying to observe his best friend at the mention of Kim's name. Tommy was carefully guarded with his expression and Jason knew he would have to get the dirt from others before confronting Tommy about the situation. For now, they would simply celebrate their friend's achievements.

"Did you get to see Kim compete at all?" Adam asked, while they waited for the medals to be presented. "Ernie had said you guys were running late, so I thought maybe you had intended to be here while she did her routines."

"We were fortunate," Trini answered "even though our flight was late, everyone in Angel Grove has their TVs turned to this. We stopped by an electronics store and watched her there. She was amazing."

The room fell silent once more as they started playing the National Anthem. The camera focused on Kimberly who was singing proudly with her fake smile across her face. Jason had recognized it, being one of the few she had confided in after her break-up with Tommy. He looked over at the White Ranger and saw that he was looking at her with unease. Could he see that Kim was as unhappy as he was? Would that finally push him to go after her to make things right between them?

He turned his attention back to Kim and his heart stopped. Kim was no longer smiling and she had turned a sick shade of white as she focused her gaze out in the crowd. The camera zoomed closer and Jason recognized a look in her eye that only a Ranger could identify. It was fear, anger, and a determination to fight no matter what was next. He felt the rest of the group tense around him as Kim's face shifted into an unyielding gaze; she dropped the roses she was holding and slid into a defensive pose--she was poised for battle.

The screen went white.

* * *


	2. Stripped

**Part Two: Stripped**

It was by instinct alone that Kimberly was able to dodge the first blast. She leapt from the podium and spun wildly in the air with little care for where she landed; her only concern was what would be left behind her when she did. She managed to stick her landing and she returned to a fighting position, resting on the balls of her feet and ready to move again. She fought the urge to look back, knowing she wasn't ready to accept the devastation that blast had surely caused, not when she had to focus on what was right in front of her.

Lord Zedd.

He made an imposing figure in the crowd, he was taller than any human she had known and the way he stood above her—looking down on her like she was a helpless child--only made her stomach clench tighter. He had changed since she had last seen him and his once red skin was now black and blistered; the muscle was cracked and crimson heat seemed to be boiling just beneath the surface, like magma under the earth. Kim fought hard not to crumble under his intense stare but she would not lose her resolve. "What do you want, Zedd?" Not that she needed his answer, it was pretty obvious. He had decided to attack her at the height of her glory; destroy her just as she had reached the pinnacle of achievements. Well he was too late; she had beaten him to the punch. She had destroyed her own dream by mailing a simple letter.

"Oh, just the usual," He casually replied. "Destruction, chaos, death." He punctuated the last word by pointing his staff to his left and demolishing a small section of the stands.

Kim couldn't bring herself to look and see if those who had been sitting there had managed to flee. She could only hope he would talk long enough to allow for everyone to escape; her family along with them. "Why don't you leave them out of this?" She pleaded, "It's me you want! Well, I'm right here. Go ahead!"

Kim gazed up at him resolutely, daring him to do his worse. He simply stood there and threw his head back with laughter "You stupid girl! You think I came here for you?" He lifted his staff above his head and sent a blast to another small section of stands behind him, forcing Kimberly to watch as onlookers simply vanished in the flames. She felt her knees begin to shake as he continued, "You're just the icing on the cake, you powerless pink brat. I picked this arena so that the Power Rangers would be watching as I began the slow destruction of the earth." He once again aimed another blast, but this time Kim was relieved to see that the arena was beginning to empty and her own family wasn't anywhere in sight. "I want to make it clear that there is nothing I won't do to ensure this pathetic planet is nothing but an empty shell when I am finished. You being here only helped ensure they would be watching."

Kim felt her throat tighten and she felt her heart drop to her stomach when she heard those words. She couldn't offer herself in exchange for the lives of those who were still trying to escape; she could do nothing to stop him from continuing to dismantle the arena. She could only hope that Zedd was right; that her friends had been watching and that they were aware of the situation. But then she came to the horrible conclusion; if that was true, they would have been here by now. The Power Rangers would have never hesitated to come to the rescue in such a dire situation. Something was wrong.

"I've grown tired of you." Zedd remarked as he pointed her staff directly at her, "You've existed for far too long."

Kim once again relied on her instincts to dodge the blast, rolling towards the chairs where her duffle bag was lying. She knew her communicator was in there, if she could just contact Zordon she knew he would send the Rangers in right away. She grabbed the bag and rolled behind the judge's stand, hopefully staying out of Zedd's sight long enough to find the device. "Where is it!?" She tore through the bag and tears threatened to fall down her face as she heard the screams of those still trapped inside the arena; Zedd's laughter was taunting them all as he continued to throw blasts randomly around the building.

"Come out come out where ever you are Kimmie." Zedd taunted, "Why don't you face me like a true Power Ranger? Or are you too cowardly to admit that you should have never been one to begin with? Always needing Tommy to protect you when you backed yourself into a corner? Well, where is he now?"

Kim didn't answer, she wouldn't acknowledge that she was weak. She refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing that his words had struck her deeper then he could have ever hoped. A flash of silver and pink caught her eye. There it was! She fumbled for the communicator but before her fingers could grip it, a familiar sensation filled her being and she allowed herself to smile as her vision turned to pink and she felt herself flying through the air. This was what she had been missing: the excitement of battle, the prospect of fighting with her friends and forging an even deeper bond of camaraderie.

When she landed, however, her enthusiasm faded and Kimberly was reminded of the gravity of the situation.

She had landed behind the viewing globe where no one could see her, giving her a chance to regroup before she had to face them. They were all focused on Zordon, yelling and making demands. She hardly remembered any one of them being so angry with their mentor before.

"We have to go now!" Rocky demanded, "We need our coins and we need to help Kim!"

There were cries of agreement, "What are we waiting for?"

Kim tried to find her voice; she wanted to tell them that she was okay that they shouldn't go, but she was too overwhelmed by the sight of them all. Everyone was there; both current and former Rangers were standing right in front of her. She felt like she wanted to collapse and cry and laugh all at once.

Then he spoke. "Why are we still standing here?" It was Tommy, his whole body was stiff as he paced in front of Zordon. Kim felt her heart jump and her stomach twist into knots at the sound of his voice. Oh how she wanted to look into his eyes and see the damage she had done; to see if there was any chance she could undo it all. "For all we know, Zedd already has Kimberly and we could have stopped him."

Finally, Zordon decided it was time to respond explain himself to the Rangers, "Kimberly is safe."

His response was cryptic and Kimberly realized that he intended for her to make her own presence known. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could utter a sound Jason spoke up. "Where is she?" His voice was laced with anger and she could tell that he was not pleased with Zordon's decision to keep the Rangers in the dark, "Zedd will simply track her down and finish what he started. She needs to be brought here."

"I'm already here." Kim's reply surprised even herself; the words had tumbled past her lips before she could think of a wittier response. "I'm all right." But as she said those words, Kim remembered the horrible devastation she had left behind and she began to feel guilty, and terrified. How many had died? Where there still people trapped inside? Had her family made it out all right? She was almost certain they had. Zedd's attacks had been random and she hadn't seen him send a blast in their direction. She had to believe that for now, she would deal with the truth when she had time. "I'm all right." She repeated the words, trying to will it to be true.

Everyone turned towards her and rushed to embrace her but she only had eyes for Tommy, hoping she could see some emotion as he turned to face her. However, Zach and Rocky threw themselves in front of her and picked her up spun her around madly. By the time she was able to lock eyes with the White Ranger, his face was calm and collected and his expression was carefully guarded.

"Thank goodness you're all right Kim." She turned her attention to Kat and smiled warmly, "Thank goodness Zordon was able to pull you away before Zedd could get to you."

Suddenly Kim felt like she had been smacked, "No, that's not true!" Her sudden outburst caused them all to jump back as if she had pushed them. "Zedd wasn't after me! He just wanted to make sure he had your attention!" She pointed at the viewing globe, "Zordon, he's still at the arena isn't he? Oh God, he's going to tear that place apart." She turned towards the current Rangers, "We have to go back! He's not finished there. We have to make him stop before he kills any more innocent people!"

"Is it true?" Billy turned towards Alpha, "If it is, we need the power coins now!"

"Ay yi yi!" Alpha shuffled towards the consoles and started pressing a series of buttons. "I never thought Lord Zedd would do something so nasty!"

"Indeed Alpha." For the first time Kimberly was positive she heard doubt in Zordon's voice, "I was certain that by removing Kimberly from the scene Lord Zedd would leave and wait for another opportunity to strike. It appears I was mistaken."

"Then we're going in." Tommy simply stated as Alpha continued to press controls and a simple golden box appeared. Tommy opened it and each of the current rangers took out their respective coins. Kim watched with a hint of jealousy as she observed Kat hesitate to pick hers up. Would she be able to take up the mantle of the Pink Ranger or should Kim ask to take the power back? Kim pushed the thought from her mind; Kat was the Pink Ranger now. It didn't matter that she had never used the power, they belonged to her the moment Kim decided to give them up. She turned back to Tommy and smiled as he once again called his team back together.

"It's Morphin Time!"

* * *

Kat tried not to focus on the unfamiliar sensation that ripped through her body as she called out "Pink Ranger Power!" She ignored that fact that it seemed to want to bind with her; it pushed her to accept that it was natural, that it was a part of her. She wasn't sure she was ready for that yet. She didn't look at the others while she stretched in the suit to try and see what she was capable of doing in it. Despite the fact that it gave her complete freedom of movement, she wasn't very confident she would be of any use; especially as she felt the weight of everyone's gaze on her. She could feel Tommy's eyes burning into her and she wondered if he was comparing her to Kimberly.

"Wow, pink really suits you." Aisha gave her a quick hug. "How do you feel?"

_I feel sick!_ Kat gave a quick shrug, "Different, I guess. I don't know it's all a little overwhelming."

"I know what you mean!" Trini gave a slight chuckle, "The excitement of it all is a little hard to take at first. Trust me, you'll get used to it!'

Kat was glad her face was concealed so they wouldn't see the cross look on her face. She really wished they would stop saying that! Why in the world would anyone want to get used to this? "Shouldn't we get going?" She snapped, hoping they would all remember that they had something important to do. "We really can't waste any time!"

The other rangers nodded in agreement, "Prepare for teleportation!"

"Wait!" Kat turned towards the former Black Ranger and wondered what could possibly be so important. "We're going too!"

"Impossible!" Kat was thankful that at least Zordon was being rational. "Without your powers the four of you would be far too vulnerable to Zedd's attacks. I fear it is far too dangerous."

She had expected the four of them to protest, but she hadn't expected her teammates to stick up for them. "They could provide the element of surprise!" Billy seemed almost excited at the prospect.

"Yeah! We could distract Zedd and they could catch him off guard!" Rocky seemed very proud that he had come to this conclusion, but all she could think to do was smack them all upside the head.

"Zordon," Kat had never heard such desperation in Kim's voice; in that moment she seemed so small and helpless. Even after loosing her power coin, the former Pink Ranger was defiant while facing the end, but here she seemed like a shadow of her former self. "I _need_ to go back there. I have to make sure my family and teammates are safe."

"I am hesitant to allow this course of action." Kat was pleased that Zordon wasn't going to back down, "But I see that there is little I could do to convince you otherwise. Kimberly, I hope you find that your family is safe. Now, all of you go and may the power protect you!"

Kat stood their with her mouth agape, how could Zordon let them do this? She could hardly voice her protest as she felt Kim stand beside her, grabbing her hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You're going to do great!" Kat nodded and tried to ignore the flux in her power. Was this what everyone had been so excited about? Did they live off of the fear of not knowing if they would come out of the next battle alive? Of not knowing if they would be strong enough to defend the planet? If that was true, then Kat was certain she was never meant to be the Pink Ranger.

* * *

Tommy felt such relief to be able to call upon his powers again. It reminded him that there were bigger, more important things than him. He took a few moments to survey the damaged arena and he understood Kim's frantic concern for those who were trapped here. Lord Zedd came here to kill all those he could. It was in that moment Tommy suddenly realized that they weren't little kids fighting monsters from nightmares--they were facing a murderer. "Be careful everyone." He relished in this, the role of being the leader. He almost needed the burden of the world, of his team, on his shoulder. Then he didn't have to worry about his own insignificant problems. "Look for any survivors!"

"You needn't waste your time!" Zedd's voice echoed across the empty stadium, "Any body left in this building is most definitely dead!"

"Show yourself!" Rocky cried out, "Or are you going to send some ugly goon to fight us like you always do? You're nothing but a coward!"

Tommy kind of wished Rocky wouldn't provoke Zedd like that, but he knew it was the only way to draw Zedd out in the open. And they needed to have his full attention if their plan had any hope of working.

A soft, cold laughter filled the room, "Did you come to rescue your precious Kimmie?" Tommy felt his blood run cold at the way he whispered her name, "How does it feel now that she wants some other man to be her knight in shinning armor; that she no longer has any use for you? Who will you come to rescue now? Or, is the little kitty-cat a good enough substitute?"

Suddenly Kat let out a terrible scream as she was sent flying across the room. Tommy couldn't even cry out as she landed on her side and slid across the cement floor. He was thankful that her uniform would protect her from serious injury, but he was also furious because Kat should have been prepared, she should have trusted her powers. She could have reacted faster, done something different— at least Kim would have landed on her feet! He needed to stop that train of thought at once, after all Kat had never morphed before. She would be up to the task soon enough. "You okay Kat?" he called out, thankful that she was getting on her feet and dusting herself off. She nodded once but she was clearly shaken.

"I'm disappointed," everyone turned to see that Zedd was standing where the Pink Ranger had first been, "Clearly Kimberly could have chosen a better replacement. You're no Pink Ranger you stupid flea infested feline."

"Don't listen to him Kat!" Aisha stood her ground, "He's just trying to break us down, he can't win otherwise and he knows it!" She dodged a well aimed blast and continued, "Why don't you show him what you're made of!"

Tommy had wished Aisha hadn't said that, but Kat seemed to straighten up ready to prove Zedd wrong. And for the first time, Tommy saw the potential she had. "I'll be more than happy to show you that I am a Power Ranger!" She snarled and jumped back towards Zedd, throwing in a few cartwheels for good measure, but Tommy felt nervous again knowing that Kat had very little combat skills. He hoped that she would let her powers guide her. She jumped high and extended her leg out and was ready to hit Zedd with a well aimed kick to the face. "Take this!"

Tommy watched in horror as Zedd casually raised his hand and froze her in mid air. "Clearly I was right. You aren't worthy to wield those powers." He grabbed her by the neck and pulled her towards him, "How about I take them off of your hands?"

Tommy felt his legs start to move but he knew he wouldn't get there in time. Thankfully Kimberly did.

The former Pink Ranger flipped behind Zedd and kicked his legs out from underneath him and he was forced to release Kat, who was still unable to move. "You should be more aware of your surroundings Zeddie!" Kim taunted as she stepped in front of Ka who was still paralyzed. The White Ranger felt himself bursting with pride as she stood defiant while Zedd regained his feet, "After all, you were just bested by a powerless pink brat." She seemed to relish in teasing Zedd and Tommy could see that Kim had grown more confident in her skills during her training. "Maybe now you'll see that I don't need rescuing!"

Zedd seemed to be caught off guard by her appearance and Tommy celebrated a small victory for the Power Rangers. But would it be enough? "Perhaps you're right Kimberly." Zedd tossed his staff from one had to the other; obviously bothered that she had gotten the better of him. "Clearly I had underestimated you. So I suppose I should just eliminate you and your pathetic pink substitute!"

Tommy knew Kimberly wouldn't move; not while she was protecting Kat. His heart almost screamed with joy as Zach and Trini came up from behind him. Zach placed a hard kick right in Zedd's back while Trini knocked his staff away. "Happy to see us?" Zach sneered as Zedd turned to face them. Zach's feet were dancing and his hands up ready to fight. "And here I thought you couldn't look any uglier, radiator head!"

Trini shared a wicked grin as she slid into a defensive pose, "Not so powerful without your staff, are you?"

"I should have known!" Zedd sneered while tightening his fists. "So, tell me. Where is you're oh so fearless former leader?"

"I'm right here!"

Zedd could barely turn in time as Jason landed a solid punch in the side of his gut. Tommy didn't try to contain his excitement at seeing his best comrade in action, "Nice shot bro!"

The four former Rangers gathered together as the current team went to stand next to them, all covering Kat. "Why don't you give up Zedd, even without Powers we can still beat you!"

"Is that so?" The evil emperor snarled, "Let's test that theory shall we?"

Jason, Kimberly, Zach and Trini led the charge. Tommy lingered behind with Kat, pulling her into an upright position. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." She snapped. The harsh edge to her voice caught him off guard, "I just can't move. Stop worrying about me and go help Kim and the others."

Tommy winced at the accusatory tone in her voice as she mentioned his ex-girlfriend but he didn't dwell on it. He nodded, gave her a reassuring hug and moved to lay her back on the floor. He was stopped in mid motion by a sharp cry behind him.

Zach was lying on the ground clutching his ankle as Zedd stood over him, preparing to deliver the killing blow. Adam responded by pushing Zedd aside and the blast missed Zach by a mere matter of inches. Tommy could only stand frozen; clinging to Kat as he watched Zedd recover and grab the front of the Black Ranger's uniform. "When is a Ranger not a Ranger?" he jeered as black bolts of lightning were ripping through Adam's body and dissipating in the air around him. Adam let out a horrible cry and Tommy knew he was in great pain, but he couldn't find the power to move his feet. Then the Black Ranger was gone and Adam was in his street clothes, his body limp in Zedd's grasp. "Well, here's your answer!"

Zedd tossed Adam next to Zach, who pulled Adam towards him and carefully checked him over. "Adam's all right!" He shouted in relief.

"For now!" Zedd laughed, "Who wants to be next?" He mocked as the Ranger's circled him and Tommy could only watch in horror as he picked them off one by one. Aisha was first, and then Billy and Rocky were next. Tommy felt his heart stop and his throat constrict they screamed in pain as their powers were ripped from their bodies. Jason, Trini and Kim all tried to help their fallen comrades, making sure none of them were critically injured. Zedd turned towards Tommy and Kat, "That just leaves you two!"

"You won't lay a hand on us!" Tommy challenged, finally releasing Kat as he ran towards Zedd.

"Tommy no!"

Kim's voice barely registered in his ears as he leapt in the air, extending his leg to deliver a powerful kick. The meaning of her words came too late as the blow landed in thin air. Kat's scream forced him to turn around. He had left her defenseless. "You should have never been the Pink Ranger." Zedd laughed as Kat writhed in pain, "So let's fix that mistake shall we?"

Tommy could do nothing as Zedd hurled Kat towards Kim, both girls smashing against the balance beam and slipping to the floor where they lay unmoving. Unsure of what would happen next, Tommy was unprepared as Zedd suddenly punched Tommy in the stomach, forcing him to his knees. Tommy couldn't even react when Zedd kicked his helmet and begin to crack. He heard it splinter as Zedd delivered another kick, causing it to shatter. "Good," he sneered. "I want to see your face as I strip the great White Ranger of the only thing he holds dear. Tell me Tommy, what will you do when you are forced to stand by and watch everything you once protected turn to ash because you're too weak to do anything about it? Will it destroy you from the inside out?"

Tommy stood up as best he could; trying to ignore the pounding in his head while the world was spinning rapidly around him. "Powers or not, we'll still fight you Zedd." His voice was unsteady but he remained resolute, "We'll die protecting this planet."

"And so you shall." Zedd agreed as he reached and hauled Tommy in the air. The White Ranger glared back, determined not to give Zedd the satisfaction of seeing his fear. "But we'll save that for later. I'd like you to stay around for a little bit. I want you to watch as I slowly turn this planet to dust. You'll watch all those you fought so hard to protect curse your names as they die because you couldn't save them. You'll die knowing that you failed. You may think that is noble to die in battle but the victory will still be mine!"

Tommy clenched his jaw tight and closed his eyes refusing to give Zedd the satisfaction of hearing him scream. It felt like his body was being shredded to tiny bits. He could hear the shriek of the falcon as it was being torn from his soul and he could feel the waves of his power slowly ebbing from his body. Tommy had never known such agonizing pain; was this what death felt like? It seemed to last for hours; the pain and terror filled Tommy's senses and he was aware of nothing but the cold reality that this was the end. Finally, everything stopped and Tommy was thankful as his body turned numb when Zedd tossed him aside. "That was even more satisfying then I could have ever hoped for!"

Tommy cracked his eyes open and saw that he had landed next to Kim who was watching him through hooded eyes, her face stained with tears. He wondered briefly if she was crying because he was unable to come to her rescue or because there seemed to be little hope for their survival. It was becoming harder to focus as the colors of the room around him began to fade and blur. He was barely aware of the shadow that moved across his face as Jason and Trini stood up, "We're not finished here Zedd!" Jason shouted.

"Oh, but we are--for now."

Tommy didn't know if Zedd had left or if Jason moved to attack. He was only aware of Kim's weak smile of relief as they were being teleported away. Tommy let the familiar white light engulf him before he slipped into blackness.

* * *


	3. Unmasked

Part 3: Unmasked

* * *

It was his nightmare come to life. Not even on Rita's Island of Illusion had Jason's fear been so realized. He could only watch as they lay defenseless before him; they had been in danger and he hadn't been able to save them.

"Alpha," He could barely raise his voice above a chocked whisper, "are the others going to be okay?"

The robot paused over Billy for a moment as he ran the bio-scanner over his body. "Affirmative." He replied and Jason's shoulders sagged with relief, "Their bodies are merely recovering from the shock of having their powers violently stripped from them." Alpha turned back towards the console and looked up at Zordon, "They should all wake in a matter of moments without any permanent damage."

"That is good news Alpha." Zordon was as calm as ever and Jason wondered what it took to unnerve him, "What of Kimberly and Zack?"

"Ah, I'll be just peachy." Zack was lounging with his ankle propped up, his hands resting behind his head, "give me a few days and the Zack man will be better than ever!"

"And Kim; is she going to be okay?"

"Ay yi yi!" Alpha's initial response caused Jason to tense as Zack's smile faded, but Alpha continued with better news. "Kim seems just fine. Other than a bruise on her back, she sustained no other physical injuries. As far as I can tell Kim's body shut down due to sheer exhaustion."

"Well, that certainly wouldn't be a first." Zack noted wryly, "I guess winning a World Championship and fighting Lord Zedd all in one day can take its toll."

Jason just nodded, for in all the good news he had just received he was having a difficult time finding the silver lining. The Rangers had lost their powers to an enemy who was far superior to all of them and without their powers there was very little anyone could do to stop Zedd. As the evil emperor had told Tommy, they could all die fighting but it wouldn't change the final outcome of the battle.

But the end had yet to come, so they would fight until it did. There was nothing else they could do.

A small moan drew Jason's attention towards Kat as the Pink Ranger began to wake. One by one, the others followed suit and finally even Kim was awake. Tommy was the first to his feet as he took in his surroundings, giving Jason a look of utter despair before he turned to Zordon. "What happens now?"

This was typical Tommy; no matter how desperate the situation, no matter how certain he was to fail, Tommy would not give up the fight. Jason understood that because he was just the same. They all were. They had faced the possibility of demise and had always over come incredible odds. Jason looked up at Zordon, waiting for the answer. Zordon would know what to do; Zordon would point them towards whatever they needed to win the battle. Zordon never failed them.

"I do not know." Zordon's words were cold and empty and Jason was utterly dumbfounded. "You have done all that you can for now. I can ask no more of you."

Tommy opened his mouth to protest, but it seemed everyone else in the room beat him to it.

"Then don't ask us." Rocky replied with such shocking intensity and Jason realized that underneath the other Red Ranger's easy going exterior, Rocky was a fierce warrior. "We all chose to be Power Rangers. You can't suddenly tell us not to be, it's who we are."

There were murmurs of agreement from all in the group and Jason felt his chest swell with pride as Rocky stared down Zordon. "You are a true Ranger, Rocky. You are courageous, loyal, and your faith in all that is good is unending. However, I am afraid you misunderstood me. I am not asking you to give up; I am merely asking that you all have patience. We know too little about the current situation and until we learn more I am afraid to move forward."

"What is there to wait for?" Adam asked softly, "We have no powers, nothing to fight with. The writing is on the wall." Jason didn't know the Black Ranger could have such morbid thoughts, but as he studied his face he realized that Adam was merely thinking aloud-taking Zordon's puzzling words and coming to a conclusion. "Unless you believe that there is another Power source out there, like Ninjor's temple?"

Zordon shook his head, "There are many sources of powers that are, or can be, connected to the Morphing Grid. I fear that they would succumb to the same fate as your powers. They would be decimated." Zordon paused for a moment and Jason could see he was choosing his words carefully, "That is not to say that there aren't powers that could be connected to the Grid that could defeat Zedd, but I fear using them."

"Why?" Kat's voice was soft and the fear in her voice was evident, "If it helps us defeat Lord Zedd then what is there to be afraid of?

"I am afraid because these powers come at a high price. One that would be paid by those I had sworn to protect from such a burden; those I have come to love as my own."

Jason wanted to press the matter, but Zordon's gaze fell upon the first leader of the Power Rangers and Jason knew Zordon wasn't going to be upfront, so Jason tried a subtle change of subject. "What happened to Zedd? I mean, that's not the same guy we faced before."

Billy nodded, "Agreed. He has not only changed physically, but his tactics have drastically changed."

"Yeah." Trini stood next to Billy, "Does anyone else think it was odd that Zedd was fighting solo? No putties or tengas or Goldar. Not even a monster."

"I noticed that as well, Trini. The fact that Zedd is acting alone is very telling. I have my theories, but I cannot be certain without knowing the fate of Rita and the rest of Zedd's minions."

Jason looked up at Zordon, determined to get a clear answer "Do you think something happened to them?"

"Indeed I do, and if my theory is correct then we are in a grave situation indeed."

"Well, I'll ask this again: What do we do?" Tommy came up next to Jason, challenging Zordon to answer as he had before.

"I ask that you wait. I will search for any answers that will provide us with clues, and hopefully a solution. I understand that this will be difficult and I will not ask that you stand idly by as Zedd attacks all that we hold dear. I merely ask that you be patient and don't see the end until it comes. You all are ready to make the ultimate sacrifice and I ask that you do not make it in vain. Understand that I still have hope for this planet, and for you all. I hope that you will all be able to continue on with your lives and that the burdens I have placed upon your shoulders will someday be a memory."

Jason felt his chest tighten as his heart jumped to his throat and he could find no words even long after Zordon had disappeared.

* * *

Kim had tried so hard to care about what Zordon and the others were arguing about, she really did. She understood how important it was to focus on Zedd and the future battle that they would ultimately face. Kim had every intention of being in that battle when the time came, but for now her mind was on one track: _Are they alive?_

She had some how naively believed that they would easily defeat Zedd, or at least send him packing for a while, and that she would be able to search for her family. She had never in her wildest nightmares expected such a horrific outcome. Now, she was no closer to discovering the fate of her family and she felt like a coward hiding out in the Command Center just waiting for Zedd to strike again. She pulled her knees up to her chin and closed her eyes, wishing it all would just go away.

"Hey girl, what's wrong?"

_Where do I start?_ Kim forced her eyes open and found Aisha and Trini sitting on both sides of her, mimicking her posture. "I'm just worried about everything." She was afraid to say any more, not sure if she could keep her composure much longer.

Trini nodded knowingly, "It's your family, isn't it? You never got a chance to find out if they're alright."

Aisha looked thoughtful for a moment, "I wonder if there's anything Alpha can do to help." Without saying another word she stood up and walked over to the Robot and whispered to him.

"Ay yi yi, I most certainly can try!" Alpha quickly went over to the control panel and began working like mad and soon Billy was there to give him a helping hand.

Kim couldn't control the tears of relief as the two Yellow Rangers embraced her in a hug. "Thank you guys so much."

"Hey, what are friends for?"

She walked towards Alpha, determined not to miss a moment. But as the seconds passed hope began to ebb as a sudden realization dawned on Kim, she had no idea the condition her family would be in once they were found. She began to pace back and forth behind Alpha and Billy, wringing her hands together like she always did when she was nervous. She bit her tongue every time she wanted to ask the two if they had found anything yet, but she knew her pestering would be a hindrance to their search.

Instinctively her eyes sought out Tommy, the one who always was by her side to comfort her and reassure her in the past. When she found him the cold hard reality of the present slapped her across the face. He was sitting next to a defeated Kat, his hand resting on top of hers. Kim inhaled slowly and tried not to stare, but it was hard not to notice how close they were sitting together.

Kim tore her gaze away from the two, but not before she caught Kat's eyes. From the reflection on Alpha's head Kim watched as the blonde pulled her hand away from Tommy's and turned away. Kim was no longer looking, but she could feel his eyes burning into her. She felt, rather than heard, him come up behind her but she was determined to focus on the search for her family. She could feel Tommy's heat against her back and she could almost picture his face as he decided if he should say something or wait until later. She was sure he was upset at her for whatever just happened with Kat and perhaps rightfully so, but Kim didn't have the strength to deal with that now.

"Listen you two," Billy stopped what he was doing and turned towards the two of them, "you're crowding the controls." He placed a hand on Kim's shoulder, "This is going to take some time and I know this is going to be difficult, but you're just going to have to wait somewhere else." He paused, looking pointedly at Tommy and Kim wondered what message he was trying to send the White Ranger, he turned back to Kim and smiled, "I firmly believe that you're family is all right and that we'll find them. Just give me a little time. Why don't you go outside and get some fresh air."

Kim wondered why Billy was speaking to both her and Tommy, but she said nothing and simply nodded as she turned to go outside. She was almost relieved when Tommy didn't follow, although she was certain she heard the Blue Ranger mutter something to him.

The cool night air felt good against her skin and she turned her head up to the stars and she willed herself to smile as she gazed across the mountains and remembered the past and tried to forget the decisions that lead her to where she was now. For that moment the world had gone back to the time before she had left for Florida, before any stupid gymnastics competition and before that damned letter. She closed her eyes and recalled the many nights Tommy and her would sit on that very spot and simply enjoy each other's company without any interference from Zedd and Rita. She inhaled the fresh air and smiled wistfully, "Tommy…"

"He still loves you. You know that right?"

* * *

They weren't the words Kat had planned to say to Kim when she decided to go and speak to her. She knew that she had just broached upon a wildly inappropriate subject to bring up while the fate of Kim's family had yet to be determined. Kat had only wanted to comfort her and to simply be her friend, but when she saw the first Pink Ranger smile longingly as she whispered Tommy's name, the words just seemed to pass through Kat's lips. Well, there was no turning back now.

Kim turned towards Kat with a look of surprise and almost disappointment, had she been hoping Tommy would come out? Kim smiled ruefully at Kat, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Kat shook her head and sat across from the other girl, "I can't change the way things are." She shrugged her shoulders, "Maybe things could have been different between Tommy and me. I know it's wrong to think this, especially since I criticized Zach for his comments about wanting back in the game, but sometimes I just wonder."

"About what?"

"I just wonder if things between Tommy and me would have been different if Rita and Zedd had stayed around; if I had really been a Power Ranger."

"What do you mean, if you had really been a Power Ranger!?" Kim demanded, "You were the Pink Ranger the moment I chose you, and from what I saw tonight I think I chose pretty damn well. I never would have had the guts to go up against Zedd alone when I was a Ranger."

"You held your own tonight and you faced him head on yourself." Kat retorted.

"A lot has changed since then." Kim broke eye contact for the first time and looked towards the mountains, "Some good and some bad."

Kat smiled, "You've just grown, and that's never bad."

Kim simply snorted and returned her gaze back to Kat, "Why are you so reluctant to admit you're a Power Ranger?"

"Don't change the subject, Kim." Kat was determined to keep control of the conversation. "What happened in Florida?"

Kat watched Kim for a moment and she suddenly regretted asking that question when she saw the sadness in Kim's eyes. She was about to retract her question and steer the conversation to safer territory, but was surprised when Kim decided to reply.

"Florida was nothing like I had expected it to be." Kim picked up a rock and threw it over the cliff's edge, "I love gymnastics and I love to compete. I thought it was my dream to participate at this level, but I had no idea how wrong I was." Kim sighed, "I really wasn't cut out for it."

Kat her head, "I have news for you Kim: you just won a gold medal tonight. I think you just proved that you are made to compete at that level."

Kim smiled, but the sad look in her eyes didn't fade. "Okay, well I don't like to toot my own horn or anything, but I know I have the talent but I don't have the drive. It's so intense and cutthroat and the philosophy is to build a winner you have to tear them down. There was no time for the joy of the sport, you were too busy worrying about your imperfections and wondering if you were really good enough, because you were constantly being told that you weren't." Kat placed a hand on Kim's shoulder as the latter began to tear up, "Either your too fat or too tall or just too ugly. I know the coaches think it's an effective way to build winners, but it just made me feel worse about myself"

Kat sat quietly for a moment, letting Kim compose herself "I'm really sorry."

Kim nodded and wiped her eyes before continuing, "Part what I love about gymnastics was being able to share it with you guys, all of my friends. I mean, I loved watching Tommy and Jason spar, or Zack's dancing, or heck even Billy when he's working in his lab." Kat laughed out loud and Kim took a moment to join her before continuing, "I loved it because they loved it. It was great watching the passion and joy on their faces when they did those things. When something brings you such happiness, you share it with those you love most, right?"

"Of course." Kat responded "What's the point of doing something you love when there's no one to share it with?" And suddenly, Kat could see where the conversation was going.

"Exactly." Kim replied suddenly lying down to gaze up at the stars, Kat followed suit. "I was so lonely in Florida and there was this big gapping hole in my life. It was everything I had left behind; Angel Grove, the Youth Center, the Power Rangers," she paused for a moment, "my friends, and of course Tommy most of all." Kat noted the tone in Kim's voice as she mentioned Tommy's name, it was spoken with such longing and regret, "I wanted to quit and come back to Angel Grove."

"Why didn't you?" Kat asked, "Tommy would have been thrilled."

"Would he?" Kim pondered aloud, "Or would he have been ashamed of me for giving up on my dream? I was so scared every one would think I was a coward, so I forced myself to stay and pretend like I was happy. I kept telling myself that all I had to do was make it through the Pan-Globals and then I could go back to Tommy and everything else. Then I wondered if I could ever go back."

Kat sat up slightly and rested on her elbows, "What in the world are you talking about? Kim, why would you ever think such things?"

"Haven't you ever noticed how tight our circle of friends we are? Name an absolute best friend who is not on the current Power Ranger roster? And don't give me that 'I'm not a Power Ranger' crap."

Kat paused for a moment before begrudgingly admitting, "No one."

"That's right. It started shortly after Zordon had first called us to duty. We all were close friends, but we certainly weren't such an exclusive group. I hung out with other people on a regular basis, many of which I considered my best friends. But once we gained our powers things kind of changed. I don't know if it was sort of instinctual self-preservation thing with us having to make excuses for when we had to just suddenly leave and save the world, or maybe it was the Power itself. Whatever it was, we became such an exclusive group that only a select few ever gained access too, and if you left…well, who knows if you can come back."

Kat had never heard Kim sound so cynical, "Why would you ever think that? Everyone is always talking about always being a Ranger, and how the Power is some sort of bond between you all that will never change no matter what. Why couldn't you come back?"

"I don't know. I just remember how when Jason, Trini and Zack left, things didn't seem to change. I mean, we missed them but Rocky, Adam and Aisha fit in so well that I wondered if Jason and the others would still fit if they wanted to come back. And then I wondered if I would still fit, or is that something that can't happen. We knew that the holes in the circle could be filled, but I didn't know if it could expand and grow."

"But it can. I saw it earlier when Zack and the others came back. It was like nothing had changed, we had all just gained a few more friends. It was easy."

"Yeah, well I didn't know that!" Kim stood up and began to pace and Kat saw she was rationalizing with herself, "All I knew was the intense emptiness I felt after I left the group and I didn't know how to fill it. I talked to Trini and she tried to be sympathetic, but she and the guys had each other to rely on. I was alone and I was so scared that I couldn't continue forward but that I couldn't go back." She paused and stopped pacing, "And then I met Bryan."

Kat wondered if it was time to end the conversation, that Tommy should have been hearing these words, not her. Still, Kat could not control herself as she asked, "Is he the one?"

Kim nodded, "He was sweet and kind and a wonderful friend. Nothing like the friends I had here of course, but I suddenly understood that nothing would ever match that. Nothing would compare to the friendships I had in Angel Grove. Nothing would compare to being a Power Ranger. And no relationship would certainly compare to what I had with Tommy. But, I had found something that could heal the hole I had burned in my heart when I left those things behind. So with the thought that I could never gain back what I left behind, I let Bryan take me out on a date." She shook her head, "He was nothing like Tommy. He tried making big gestures, such as buying big gifts or taking me out to expensive restaurants to prove his feelings for me. Tommy's actions were more subtle and more often then not he did them unconsciously; he would open doors for me or how he would call me just to say 'hi'." She stopped for a moment as if to consider something. "I do love Bryan and I know that I can have a good life with him and be content. I can settle for content, I guess."

Kat was silent for a moment and she absorbed Kim's words and how they related to her. Kim's relationship with Bryan reminded her of her own relationship with Tommy. He was always determined to prove that he was over Kim and happy with Kat by performing grand gestures and Kat had fallen for them almost every time. Now she understood why. "I can't settle for just content." She said aloud and Kim raised her eyebrows in surprise. "And why would you? You know why I targeted you when I was under Rita's spell? It was because I wanted what you and Tommy had. I thought I wanted Tommy, but I get it now. I want someone who loves me so much that he doesn't try to prove it; it just shows naturally though his actions. Tommy will only ever love you that way and you will only love Tommy like that." Kim simply stared at her with an unconvinced look on her face, "Don't you see!? You can move on and maybe someday Tommy can too. But neither of you will be happy with that other person as you were with each other. You will simply be content and while that's nice and all, I personally think that it's stupid to settle for anything less!"

Kim shook her head, "That's a nice idea and all, and I certainly agree that if you have the opportunity to find someone who makes you as happy as Tommy and I once were then you most certainly should take it. Kat, you shouldn't settle for someone who doesn't love you like you deserved to be loved."

"And neither do you." Kat responded firmly.

"It's too late for Tommy and me. You're right, Tommy is my one great love, but you don't always end up with your soul mate. That doesn't mean you can't love someone else and have a good life with that person. If you stayed with Tommy, you two would have a good life together."

Kat nodded, "Probably, but it wouldn't have been as great as it could have been. And maybe you're right and perhaps it is too late for you and Tommy, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try. Kim, don't you think that you should at least be honest with Tommy. We don't know if there is even going to be a tomorrow, don't you want to let him know how you feel before the world goes to Hell. Don't you want to know how he feels?"

Tears started to fall down Kim's face as she nodded fervently, "Of course I do. I know you're right, but I'm just not sure I can do it. Kat, I was awful to him. Don't tell me you disagree because I know you don't. I handled everything so poorly and I was a coward and a horrible person. I don't deserve Tommy's love and I certainly don't want to risk hurting him again!"

"Kim, you won't. I promise, despite how Tommy tries to hide it I know he wants to talk to you again. He's just afraid of hurting me, but don't worry I plan on dealing with that very soon." Kat gazed up at the moon and smiled remorsefully, "I won't tell anyone what you told me and I'm not going to make you talk to Tommy, but please remember that we don't know how much longer we have so take advantage of every moment you've got."

Kim nodded once and Kat prayed that she had gotten through to her. After a few moments of silence she looked Kat straight in the eye, "Okay I bore my soul to you, now it's your turn. I want to ask you again, why can't you accept that you're a Power Ranger?"

Kat took a deep breath as she tried to find a way out of the conversation, for some reason she didn't feel like Kim was the one to be sharing this with. Still, Kim had just opened up about some pretty intense feelings and she was certain that Kat was the last person Kim wanted to tell them to. How was she going to get out of this one?

"Hey you guys! You've got to see this." Kat exhaled in relief as Rocky came jogging over to them, his face pale "Alpha turned the news on the viewing globe and apparently there were still camera's rolling in the arena when Zedd attacked."

"Oh my God." Kat turned to Kim who was mirroring her shocked expression.

"No kidding." He turned to jog back inside and the two girls followed suit, "We're pretty sure we're all about to be unmasked on international television."

When they returned inside Kat turned towards the viewing globe and was stunned into silence. The footage was crystal clear, though it was clear they had edited footage from different cameras and sometimes the camera work was choppy, but it told the same story exactly as it happened. They had returned shortly after Kim had been teleported away and Zedd was left alone to his own devices. It was horrible and Zedd was merciless as he killed God knows how many people in those few minutes before they had arrived. Kat felt her legs give out and she found herself suddenly sitting in Zack's chair; he had gotten up and slid it under her as her knees grew weak. He stood now, all his weight on his good leg, with his hand on her shoulder as he gazed intently at the screen. For a brief moment, Kat wondered if he even realized what he had done. Then, the sound of her own screaming brought her attention back to the viewing globe.

"This is so weird." Aisha commented, clutching her hand to her chest, "Like an out of body experience or something."

Kat nodded deftly as she watched herself charge Zedd, surprised at how confident she looked and how graceful she was. She watched as Kim came in to save her, how the others rallied together. She felt Zack's hand tighten on her shoulder as Zedd grabbed his ankle and twisted it. Her cheeks became wet as she watched the evil emperor kick Aisha in the stomach after he ripped her powers apart. She openly began to sob as the final shot from inside the arena--all of them being teleported away, powerless and defeated—flashed on the screen.

"That was the scene from inside the arena during the tragedy at the Pan-Globals." Kat felt herself go numb as the news anchor continued, "The Power Rangers fought valiantly to save many lives, and that they most certainly did. We don't know the fate of those brave teenagers, but we do know their names. We have also determined, through many sources, that those who were not in uniform were also Power Rangers at one point in time, including gymnastics champion Kimberly Hart."

Kat was suddenly sick to her stomach as she watched their pictures flash across the screen as the announcer read their names. "Now everyone knows." She whispered.

"Does it really matter, though?" Adam replied.

"You are most certainly correct, Adam." Billy nodded and he appeared thoughtful, "Perhaps we can use this to our advantage."

"How?" Kat wasn't even aware she was talking; she simply stared to the scene in front of her as the anchor began to speak about the ten of them, their good deeds for the community and how they were such upstanding citizens. Trini looked like she was prepared to answer for Billy, but the anchor's next words diverted everyone's attention back to the viewing globe.

"We now have confirmation that the mayor of Angel Grove, California has just ordered the city to be evacuated. There is a strong belief amongst the cities leaders that Angel Grove will be the next target, and with the fate of the Power Rangers unknown the citizens are not safe."

"Ay yi yi yi yi." Alpha stood behind the group and he waved his arms like he always did when situations became dire, "It makes sense that Lord Zedd would attack Angel Grove next." He shuffled out of the room and returned pushing a large box in front of him. Tommy and Jason rushed to help Alpha "It is possible Lord Zedd will attack again before Zordon returns with, well, whatever it is he's looking for." He opened the box and lifted out what appeared to be clothing of some sort, "After you guys lost your powers in the battle with Rito, Zordon and I realized the need for something that would protect you in case it ever happened again. I created these." By now, Tommy had picked up one of the outfits and was holding it so everyone could see. It was a black jacket with white detail and a pair of matching pants. She watched with interest as Alpha also handed Tommy a pair of boots and gloves. "There's also a mask, but I don't think that is necessary now. These uniforms are not powerful by any means, but they are made of a durable fabric similar to the armor you wore when you were morphed." Alpha continued handing out the uniforms to each ranger has he continued to speak and Kat absently fingered the pink detail on hers as Alpha droned on. "They will shield you from intense attacks and hopefully minimize injuries. They cannot protect you like the Powers do, but hopefully they'll help."

"Alpha, they're morphinominal!" Tommy smiled and Kat saw that he already had his jacket and gloves on and he was examining the gauntlets as he stretched his fingers.

"Aww, it was nothing." The robot replied, and Kat was sure that if he could, Alpha would be blushing.

Suddenly, Kat was aware that she was still sitting while Zack was standing. She shot right out of her seat and turned to Zack. "I'm so sorry." She pushed him back in the chair and propped his foot back up, the entire time he simply smiled at her. "You shouldn't have done that, you're foot has got to hurt!"

Zack shook his head, "Don't worry about it. I've been sitting since we got here and I need to stretch my legs…or rather, leg."

Kat smiled and turned back to the viewing globe as the news was now showing footage from previous battles in Angel Grove. She glanced over sideways at Tommy and began to contemplate just exactly what she was going to say to him. She needed to get it over with, and soon. She knew that now matter how much he loved Kim, he would still be hurt by what Kat had to tell him. She bit her lip and walked in his direction when the alarm sounded.

Everyone in the room stiffened, battle ready. "What is it Alpha?" Jason asked, pulling of his leather jacket and replacing it with the new one Alpha had just given, everyone followed suit. Kat realized that this wasn't the time for modesty as everyone began to undress.

Kat watched the viewing globe as she waited for the scene to change. "Whatever it is, we're ready!" Rocky responded.

Kat instinctively turned towards Zack who hadn't changed and he wore a grave look on his face, "Just come back." He replied, "Cause if you guys get into trouble I'm going to have to get off my butt and save you guys. I bet you'd feel pretty silly getting rescued by a gimp!"

Kat let out a small laugh with the others, and she realized that she had almost forgotten that she was about to fight evil at its worst and that it seemed like just another day at the office.

"Oh no!" Alpha cried, pressing a few buttons as he changed the scene on the viewing globe. "Lord Zedd is truly vile! He is running some sort of interference so I cannot get a clear picture of the viewing globe."

"Then how do we know what we're going into?"

"We'll just have to go in blind." Tommy stood determined as he faced his team, "We stick together no matter what."

Everyone nodded in agreement and Kat braced herself for the worst, "Can you tell us where we going?" she asked.

Alpha turned to them slowly, "The Youth Center."

* * *

_A/N: Oh my goodness, I had no intention of taking that long to update, but things happen in the real world and time passed faster than I had expected. It also doesn't help that this story is gaining a life of its own. I have everything mapped out, but things are slightly veering off course. Just little things though, certain relationships between characters, the way things are revealed. I never intended for Kat to be the one Kim confessed too, but it just sort of seemed right when the time came. These things are just sort of surprising me, but hey that's okay. I still know the final destination; I'm just discovering different roads that will take me there. I won't promise faster updates or anything, but I will certainly not try and keep you waiting for too long. Thank you for your patience and your wonderful support. Silver Phoenix Ranger. _


	4. Always

Part 4: Always

Whenever Tommy went into battle, there was always a mixture of emotions that raced through him: a little bit of fear, some anger, but mostly anticipation. But this time, the odds were stacked against them and when Tommy caught sight of the Youth Center—with some billowing out the windows—he felt nothing but unadulterated terror.

He knew that the Center would have been an evacuation point, a place people would meet and organize the exodus to the military base between Angel Grove and Stone Canyon. The citizens knew the evacuation plan well and there was no doubt in the White Ranger's mind that there could be a couple hundred people trapped inside. He tried not to focus on the names of those he was certain were imprisoned inside; he tried to ignore the faces that flashed across his mind as he tried to come up with a plan. The building had not been burning long, and while the exits seemed blocked Tommy had to hope that with their new suits, he and the others would have time to rescue those inside.

But it seemed too simple.

Tommy looked to his left and met Jason's eyes; the first Red Ranger had the same thoughts. _Where was Lord Zedd?_ He glanced down the line at his teammates, all waiting for his command, and he started to speak when a sudden flash of movement diverted his attention.

"Lieutenant Stone!"

From across the street, Bulk and Skull were running like madmen towards the Youth Center, shouting incoherently as they raced towards the building. Tommy nodded towards Jason and they flipped in front of the two Junior Patrol officers and tried their best to hold them back. "Let us go!" Bulk shouted, throwing his arms around wildly as he tried desperately to shake the two Rangers off of him.

"He's still in there!" Skull shouted in response, the smaller man was wiggling in Tommy's grasp. Suddenly everything clicked and Tommy understood. Lt. Stone must have been in charge of this evacuation point and most likely was trapped inside; he would not have left anyone behind. Tommy was ready to do his best and reason with the two, but Bulk managed to place a well aimed punch at Jason's jaw and his friend was sent stumbling backwards.

"Jason!" Tommy shouted as he tried desperately to keep hold of Skull and keep Bulk from moving forward. The other rangers had started coming in their direction to help, but Tommy motioned for them to get inside the Youth Center: they were running out of time.

Bulk and Skull stilled at the sound of Tommy's voice and for the first time the two realized who they were fighting with. "You!" Bulk shouted incredulously as he pointed a finger accusingly at Tommy.

"And you!" Skull mimicked Bulk and pointed his finger at Jason.

"And them!" they cried in unison as they caught sight of the others. They turned towards each other with a look of disbelief and realization. "The Power Rangers!"

Bulk turned back towards Tommy was Skull simply stared stunned, "We saw it on the news." The bigger man stated, "You dweebs are the Power Rangers!" He accused. Skull nodded dumbly and a look of horror slowly crossed his face as he glanced at the others, but Tommy ignored it and simply shrugged his shoulders to confirm Bulk's statement. Bulk suddenly went rigid as laughter rang out from behind Tommy and suddenly the other Rangers came hurtling back in their direction.

"I knew this was too easy." Tommy muttered.

"You two," Jason waved at Bulk and Skull while the others regained their footing and the ten of them took their fighting stances, "Get back and help the city evacuate, we'll get everyone out of here!"

"Oh don't leave yet, boys!" Zedd's voice bellowed from the roof of the Youth Center, "I'm just getting warmed up!" He appeared just floating above the building and he aimed another blast just in front of the rangers as Adam and Rocky charged forward, and the two were forced back to the line. "The party has just begun and I've decided to bring along some old friends! I'm sure you'll recognize them."

Tommy almost gagged from the smell and his vision blurred as his eyes began to water; but he regained his composure and swallowed the bile in his throat when he saw what was in front of him.

Rita, her brother Rito, and Goldar stood in front of them with their arms and weapons limp at their sides and their heads tilted slightly. Rito looked much the same as before, though Tommy saw that his bones were cracked even more and his left arm seemed like it was loosely hanging in its socket. An obvious weakness they would need to expose. He almost didn't recognize Rita at first. Her face was bloated and it had turned a sickly shade of green and there was a giant hole in her chest where her heart would have been. Goldar looked the worst of the three though, his entire body was covered in deep lashes that looked like they could almost have cut him to pieces and Tommy felt his stomach heave.

"What's wrong with them?" Adam asked, covering his mouth and nose from the offending odor.

"They look like puppets," Aisha added, "Or…"

"Corpses." Billy finished, "I believe they have been deceased for quite some time."

"That's gross."

"Oh, I think you hurt their feelings Kimmie!" Zedd laughed, "But I agree, they're not much to look at. You see, after my wife's last failure involving your feline ridden friend," He pointed at Kat, "I decided she, along with the other failures I surrounded myself with, were nothing more than a hindrance to my ultimate plan. So I disposed of them in various ways. And then I learned a useful trick that allows me to use their corpses to create an invincible army!"

As he spoke those words, more corpses surrounded Rita and the others and Tommy felt his fear grow. There were monsters, aliens, and humans amongst the soldiers that surrounded them. Zedd must have gone on a war path as he returned to Earth and he used his victims to fill his army. There were probably a dozen standing between the Rangers and the Youth Center, but Tommy couldn't even venture a guess as to how many were behind him and heading into the city. "We'll fight any army you command." Tommy shouted with more confidence then he felt, "We can take whatever you dish out!"

The others shouted their agreement in unison and Tommy lead the charge. Soon he found himself with Rocky and Jason in hand to hand combat with Goldar. "I don't know if he's any stronger now, but that smell certainly gives him a definite advantage over us!" Rocky quipped and he ducked as Goldar slashed at him with his sword, Rocky grabbed his arm and Jason grabbed the other and Tommy spun in the air and kicked him in the face, sending him back. Rocky wiped what appeared to be some sort of brownish liquid off his hand. "Awwww man, this is just nasty!"

Tommy forced a smile as Jason shook his head, "Listen bro, I think us Reds can handle him. You get in the Youth Center and get those people out."

Tommy was way ahead of Jason as he turned towards the building, taking a quick moment to scan for the other Rangers and insure they were okay. Aisha and Trini were battling Rito and while they were struggling at times, the two seemed to be handling the situation. The same went for Kim and Kat, who were dealing with Rita. Tommy continued running and he spared a glance at Billy and Adam who were being overrun by gymnasts.

_Wait…gymnasts?!_

Tommy skidded to a halt and turned back towards the two. Adam was fighting off two girls wearing track suits, one with Russian lettering and one with Japanese writing. He recognized the outfits from the Pan-Globals. Billy was struggling with three girls decked in red, white and blue suits that were identical to what Kim had been wearing earlier. He instinctively turned towards Kim and wondered who else from the arena was now attacking Angel Grove. For the moment, Kim was preoccupied with Rita and Tommy was certain she wouldn't notice her teammates were now her enemy. He turned back towards the Center but was once again stopped as Kim cried "Sarah! Natalie! Jenny!"

He turned back and saw that Kat now had Rita's staff and Kim was running towards her teammates, tears streaming down her face. Rita charged Kat who swung the staff at Rita's head and sent her flying. The witch landed with a resounding thud and did not move again. "That felt good." The second Pink Ranger commented as she threw the staff to the ground and turned to follow Kim. She was held up as Rito lashed out at her and she joined the Yellow Rangers in their fight.

Tommy felt himself change directions as the three gymnasts disengaged themselves from Billy and launched themselves at Kim. He charged towards the three as they kicked and punched at her while she tried desperately to convince them to stop. "You can't reason with them Kim!" Billy tried to explain as he fought with the Russian girl, "There is nothing you can do to save them."

But Kim was hysterical and Tommy was certain that she, being the hopeful girl she was, would not fight them. Tommy was almost to her side when she kicked one girl in the gut, punched another in the jaw and flipped backwards before the third could retaliate. Tommy reached out to grab the final girl and pull her away but Kim kicked her feet out from beneath her and Tommy grasped air. "Tommy?" she asked quizzically, "What are…"

Her words were cut short as the ground beneath them began to shake and Tommy felt his stomach fill with dread. Instinctively, all Rangers turned towards the Youth Center and watched in horror as it collapsed in front of their eyes. "Oh God…" Trini clasped her mouth as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Tommy watched the flames then turned towards Kim and then back towards the remains of the building.

"All those people!" Kat cried as she ran towards the building; clawing desperately at Aisha who was holding her back.

Tommy went cold; realizing that his inaction had lead to this. He turned behind him and saw Bulk and Skull standing with matching expressions of anguish on their faces. He wanted to say he was sorry, to explain that they tried, but Tommy wasn't convinced that he had done enough. "What next?"

The sun had started to rise and in the light of a new day Tommy and the others saw what Zedd's new army was capable of:

The entire city was burning.

"Rangers you must retreat!" Alpha's voice drew Tommy's vision away from the sight, "there is nothing else you can do!"

"No!" Tommy shouted desperately. He wouldn't let it end like this! "We're not done here!"

"Tommy," Jason's hand fell on his shoulder, his eyes brimming with tears, "There's nothing left to save."

Tommy stuttered, trying to find an argument. But as he turned back to Bulk and Skull, he knew his friend was right. "Fine" he conceded, "But after we get those two out of here!"

The others nodded in agreement. "We'll be fine on our own." Bulk snapped and Skull nodded mutely, though he appeared unconvinced, "You guys got your own problems to deal with." Bulk turned to Skull and placed his hand on his shoulder "We have to take over for Lt. Stone." He reasoned, "He gave us a chance we didn't deserve and we're gonna make him proud."

Those words seemed to inspire Skull as well as the Rangers, but Tommy was unaffected and he simply mumbled, "Good luck you guys." The others mumbled similar sentiments as they each shook Bulk and Skull's hands.

The two turned and began walking away, but Skull turned back once and waved "Good luck to you too!"

"Alpha, teleport us now!"

When they landed Tommy took a collective breath and turned towards his team. "Listen you guys, we've got…" his voice trailed off as he realized his words were falling on deaf ears. Adam was sulking in one corner while Rocky paced back and forth nearby. Jason stood rigid with his arms crossed and his eyes were glistening with unshed tears as he waited for Tommy to take action. Billy was speaking quickly to Alpha and Zack, telling him everything that had happened while Aisha, Trini, and Kat all tried to console a grief-stricken Kimberly.

When his eyes fell upon the first Pink Ranger, Tommy felt his anger boil over and he found his voice. "Listen up!" He shouted and everyone snapped their heads in his direction, "You've got to pull yourselves together. We can't go back and fight Zedd if we're going to cry like babies!"

Everyone looked at him with similar horrified expressions, "You can't be serious!?" Aisha asked crossly, "You just saw what happened, right? Don't tell us not to grieve!"

"Aisha is most certainly correct." Billy's voice was raised and Tommy was momentarily stunned by the Blue Rangers unusual display of anger, "What we just witnessed was something beyond our wildest nightmares. Angel Grove, for all intents and purposes, no longer exists and we cannot be certain about the fate of its citizens or our families!"

Tommy felt outnumbered as the group all nodded their heads in agreement, "Maybe we should take a little time and see if we can find out what happened to them?"

Tommy glared down at Trini and firmly shook his head and decided it was time for him to pull rank, "No." he stated firmly, "We can't waste any precious resources on something like that." Tommy glanced over at Jason, who hadn't moved an inch, but the Red Ranger's eyes narrowed and Tommy was certain he would get an earful later. "I won't have any more distractions. Focus on the task at hand, and that is Lord Zedd. If—when this is over, then you can do whatever you want!"

There were cries of outrage from the group Rocky looked like he was going to charge Tommy, but Adam had his hand placed on Rocky's shoulder. "What's your problem man?" he shouted, "What do you expect us to do, just turn off our emotions and fight like a bunch of robots? Oh wait, that would make us just like Zedd's army, expect we wouldn't be dead…yet!"

"Something like that." Tommy snapped back, "If we had been a little focused before, then maybe we would have saved Lt. Stone and the others!"

"Tommy, there was nothing you could have done." Adam responded softly.

"That's not true. If I hadn't had to save Kim…"

"Excuse me!" Kim snarled as she wiped the tears from her cheeks and once again Tommy felt himself burning with anger, "I don't recall asking for your help! Don't blame me for your constant need to be the White Knight!"

"Exactly my point!" Tommy stopped himself, knowing he was wandering into unsafe territory. He knew anything else was broaching upon a dangerous subject and would stir up long buried emotions that he had resolved to keep buried. "Does anyone else have something to say?" he demanded.

"Yes!" Tommy turned towards Kat just as her fist connected with his jaw.

* * *

Kat gave Tommy a moment to collect himself while the rest of the group stood in stunned silence. She had even managed to get Jason to move slightly, but once again the Red Ranger stood still as he watched the scene unfold. Tommy turned towards Kat while he rubbed his jaw, "What's the matter with you, Kat?" Tommy's voice had softened slightly but Kat remained unmoved.

"What's the matter with me?" How dare he say that! "I'll tell you what the matter is!" She charged closer to him and he backed away. God it felt good to have this kind of power over him. "How dare you blame Kim, or any of us for that matter, for something that no one could stop! How dare you assume that we can just ignore the fate of our loved ones. And who the hell are you to tell us what we can and cannot feel? We can't all turn off our emotions like you Tommy. We haven't had the practice you've had."

Kat breathed in and out, holding on desperately to her composure as she waited for Tommy to come up with some sort of a response. _It had better be an apology._ She glowered at him while he surveyed the room, thinking someone would actually come to his defense. Everyone purposely avoided eye contact and he turned back to Kat. "You know, I expect some of these guys to disagree with me, but not my girlfriend." He emphasized the last word and they both shot a quick glance at Kim, who had shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"Not your girlfriend," she quietly corrected him. "Just your friend."

There was a collective intake of breath throughout the room and Kat steeled herself, she needed to do this. Tommy stared at her dumbfounded but she stood her ground and waited for him to make the next move. She clenched and unclenched her fists as she watched his stunned face slip into that impassive mask he always wore, "So, how is it that I attract girls who like to publicly humiliate me by dumping me in front of my friends!"

Kat opened her mouth to protest, but it was Kim who spoke. "I'm sorry," she said weakly, "That had never been my intent. I never imagined you would let someone else read our private letters out loud."

Tommy clearly wasn't moved by her words and she could see that he was trying to come up with what would probably be a hurtful response. Kat decided she had to intervene before things really got ugly. "I'm sorry Tommy, but it had to be said." Tommy twisted his head back to her, "You honestly can't think we should keep on pretending? Not with all that's going on!"

Adam nodded, "We need to be honest with each other," he looked at Tommy pointedly, "And with ourselves."

Kat watched in horror as Tommy turned towards Adam and she knew what he was going to say, "You want to be honest?" his voice dripped with venom, "Then maybe Kim should know what you told me after you read that letter. How Rita herself couldn't pull a stunt as callous as that!"

Adam turned a bright shade of red "That's not fair!" he cried desperately, "It was in the heat of the moment!"

Kat felt her fist tighten and she fought the urge to punch Tommy again, though he would certainly deserve it. Aisha stood up with her hand still resting on Kim's shoulder. "We all agreed that we wouldn't take sides! You're both our friends!"

"Yeah, well it certainly doesn't seem that way to me!" He turned towards Kat, "I thought you and Kim were different."

That did it. Rational thoughts slipped from Kat's mind as she charged Tommy once again and she was stumbled forward when her fist slashed through thin air. Jason had snagged the back of Tommy's collar and was practically tossing Tommy out the door. "Why don't you go outside for a while and cool off before someone actually gets hurt." He punctuated the last phrase and Kat knew that it was a threat.

Taking a few calming breaths she braced herself and marched to towards the door, ready to have it out with Tommy. Jason stopped her before she could reach the door, "I should talk to him." She stated simply, though suddenly she wasn't sure what she could possibly say.

Jason smiled and shook his head, "Not a good idea, I'll do it." He nodded towards Kim, "So, she told you." He stated simply. "I couldn't get her to talk to me; I knew something was bothering her since before she broke up with him. I could never get it out of her though; maybe she thought I was too close to Tommy or something." He glanced back at Kat, "But then again, so were you. Maybe it's the Pink thing." He shrugged his shoulders, "Anyway, I think Tommy is a little too angry with both of you right now." Kat wanted to protest, but Jason held up his hand, "I'm not saying you were wrong, I'm just saying that right now there is nothing you can say that will reach him."

Kat smiled, "I appreciate the thoughts, but maybe I should at least apologize."

Jason shook his head firmly, "He needs to apologize first: To you, to Kim and to everyone else in this room." He placed a hand on her shoulder and looked her straight in the eye, "There's something else, too. I noticed it the first time we met at the Youth Center; you've had this grey cloud hanging over you." Kat felt her throat tighten, there was no way the first Red Ranger could ever understand what she was feeling, "Now, I'm not going to bug you about it or anything, but maybe you can talk to Kim. You guys seem to have gotten close."

Kat shook her head, "Kim's got enough to deal with. Besides, it's no big deal."

Kat felt uneasy under his thoughtful gaze, "Everything is a big deal right now." He smiled knowingly, "But if you want someone to just listen and not judge, then I'd say talk to Zack. He seems a little stir crazy after being left behind. I think the company would do him good and he'd have a hard time ignoring you." Kat felt her cheeks burn slightly as Jason gave her a slight nudge back towards the others before stepping outside.

She glanced over at Kim and saw Adam apologizing profusely as Kim had him wrapped in tight embrace. Seeing that her friend was taken care of, Kat decided to follow at least part of Jason's advice and she sought out the first Black Ranger and took a seat next to him, "How are you doing?" she asked softly and pointing at his ankle. "Are you in any pain?"

Kat felt her face grow warm as Zack's face split into a grin that spread from ear to ear just at the sound of her voice. "I'm fine." He waved it off, "Just a minor sprain. Once the swelling goes down, I'll be out on the battlefield with you guys. Then I'll show you all how it's done. Zedd won't stand a chance against the Zack-man!"

Kat laughed out loud and with her laughter the tension simply drained from her body. Zack's bright disposition was certainly contagious. She felt light and at ease and it was impossible not to smile while Zack punched the air around him, taking out invisible monsters. She couldn't stop giggling, even as he fell out of his chair and she quickly moved to catch him and help him back in his seat. They both took a few moments to catch their breath and let their laughter die. Zack turned to her and regarded her solemnly, "So, what's up?" he asked softly.

Kat felt her smile fade slightly and she tried to shrug the question off, "I just thought you could use some company." He arched his eyebrow and she knew he wasn't convinced.

"Well, I'll never turn down the companionship of a beautiful lady." He placed his hand on top of hers and Kat's breath caught in her throat. "Whenever you want to talk, I'll be here." Kat nodded since words would not reach her lips. This was what she needed, someone who wasn't trying to force explanations or judging her because they thought they knew what she felt. "I couldn't even run away if I wanted too." He pointed to his injured ankle and once again Kat felt that warm laughter spread through her entire being.

She hoped it wouldn't fade anytime soon.

* * *

Just as Jason had expected, Tommy was waiting for him to come outside. "What took you so long?" His voice was quiet, but Jason could hear the underlying bitterness, "The team is falling apart."

"A team reflects its leader."

"If you came out here to lecture me, then I suggest you save your breath."

Jason paused for a moment while trying to decide the best course of action; Tommy was going to make this as difficult as possible. "Not exactly." He began to stretch out his muscles Tommy watched him with mild interest, "We're going to spar. You have some pent up aggression to get out, and I think I'm still a little rusty." Jason was glad to see Tommy crack a smile; he was hoping the White Ranger would let his guard down.

Jason waited while Tommy thought for a moment, then he slid into a fighting stance. "Whenever you're ready."

Jason mimicked Tommy's pose, "What, not going to warm up?" He teased, hoping the light mood would keep Tommy off guard.

"Against you? I don't think I need to."

Tommy charged first and Jason quickly blocked his kick and grabbed Tommy's ankle and spinning him around. Tommy made a quick recovery, pushing himself back up into the air and landing a solid punch in Jason's gut. _Not exactly what I had in mind._ Jason took a step back and decided to switch tactics slightly, "Why don't we make this a bit more interesting?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"For every point I win, you have to answer a question of mine."

"And what do I get?"

"Are we assuming you're actually going to score a point?" Jason hoped that taking slight jabs and Tommy's ego would push him to agree, "How about this, if you're actually lucky enough to score you can ask me anything you want. About anything at all."

Jason wasn't sure if this idea would work, but he had to try and be fair. Tommy didn't even hesitate to respond. "Fine. Are there any boundaries?"

Jason smiled, "If you fall off the edge of the cliff, I'd say you're out of bounds."

He felt a twinge of relief as Tommy allowed a genuine smile to cross his face and the two resumed their match. For every kick, the other blocked it perfectly. For every punch, the opponent ducked just in time. Jason was growing slightly frustrated, but finally success!

Tommy fell hard to the ground and Jason pinned him by the shoulder and prepared to punch him in the stomach. "My point." And Tommy conceded. Jason allowed Tommy to sit up, "Why did you blame Kim for what happened earlier?"

Tommy shrugged his shoulders, "I was angry." Jason prompted him to continue, making it clear he expected more detailed answers, "Kim was the reason I didn't make it to the Youth Center in time, but it wasn't her fault. I guess old habits die hard and I saw a situation that I thought she needed rescuing from. I didn't think about the fact that it's not my place to rescue her. I didn't think about the fact that there were seven other Rangers that could have helped her if she needed it. And I certainly didn't think about the fact that she didn't need any help to begin with. I let my emotions get the best of me and innocent people paid the price."

Jason nodded his head "You do understand that there was probably no way to save those people, right? Even if you hadn't stopped to help Kim, you don't know if you would have been able to reach them or if they were even still alive. Lord Zedd probably would have kept us out of that building at all costs. You tried Tommy, we all did. It's not the first time we've failed, it's just the first time there have been real consequences." Tommy nodded, but Jason wasn't sure he had gotten through to him. "Ready for round two?"

Tommy nodded and the two continued their fight. As Jason expected, he had broken through Tommy's emotional barrier and had Tommy was fighting with a little more energy. After a few more minutes, Jason found himself face first in the dirt. "My point." Tommy seemed anxious to ask his question. "Are you the guy Kim left me for?"

Of all the questions he could have asked, this was the one Jason never saw coming. "Are you kidding me man?" The look on Tommy's face made it clear he wasn't. "When would Kim and I have had time to become a couple? I mean…I just….are you serious!?"

"I don't know, I guess I just always wondered." Tommy shrugged his shoulders, "You two have known each other the longest out of anyone here…and I don't know. It just seemed like if I hadn't been around you two might have ended up together."

Jason had never thought of that, but he could understand his friend's logic. "I don't know what to tell you, bro. I mean, I love Kim in a big brother-little sister sort of way. Yeah sure things could have been different, but why wonder about that? We've all got real situations to deal with, who has time to worry about the hypothetical?"

Tommy seemed pleased with the response and Jason was quick to score another point. "How about we cut to the chase." Jason was becoming winded and he could see Tommy was growing tired as well, "We aren't going to do ourselves any favors by beating each other up before Zedd even has his chance." Tommy nodded in agreement, "That was my point, so I go first. What happened after the letter? What made you suddenly decide that ignoring the pain was better than facing it?"

Jason wasn't sure Tommy was going to answer, but he closed his eyes and began to speak. "I guess I didn't know how to. You know, other than the whole 'evil Green Ranger fiasco' and the losing of my powers issues, I've had it pretty easy. Once I became the White Ranger, I felt invincible. I could take on the world and no one could get to me. I was the one who could carry the team, and any of their problems, and not feel any burden. Yeah, Rita and Zedd tried to exploit Kim as a weakness but she always gave me strength. Suddenly she was gone and I was vulnerable. How do you cope with that? I had nothing but time on my hands and no one to help me deal with this burden. It wasn't fair to ask the gang to take sides and I certainly didn't want Kim to lose her friends. I thought that since Kim could move on then I should just push past it and force myself to do the same thing."

"I know this kind of breaks the rules of this game here, but can I ask you another quick question. You don't have to answer it if you don't want to." Tommy reluctantly agreed, "What do you think would have happened if Zedd and Rita had still been around when you got that letter?"

"Well, I probably would have accused them of sending the letter in the first place." Tommy gave a remorseful smile, "But I'm sure they would have taken advantage of the situation. God only knows it would have probably worked pretty well too. I'm sure my emotions would have gotten the best of me; which proves my point: We can't let our emotions rule us right now, they are a weakness that can be exposed on the battlefield."

Finally, Tommy had opened the door that Jason needed to prove his point. "That doesn't seem to be working too well." Jason sat down and Tommy followed suit, "I mean, you got yourself into a dysfunctional relationship with Kat and now I think you've done some serious damage to your friendship with her." Tommy stared down at the ground with a guilty expression and Jason knew he was making some sense to the White Ranger, "Now you're back on the battlefield and Lord Zedd doesn't even have to exploit your emotions as a weakness because you're doing that yourself."

"I thought you were trying to prove me wrong"

"Listen, I think emotions are a good thing to have while fighting; they're what separates us from the bad guys. But we have to be careful with them as well because things like anger, jealousy, and fear are exactly what our enemies dwell upon. If Zedd had attacked you right after you had received that letter, they probably would have done a good job taking advantage of your vulnerability. But you know what Zordon would have done?" Tommy looked at Jason with real interest, "He would have told you to face your pain and deal with it. I don't know how you would have done it, but we both know it's true. You would have had to come to terms with the letter before you could have won any battle. And I firmly believe that to be the case now."

"I think it's too late for that." Tommy muttered softly but Jason knew that he had scored a minor victory, "Besides, that really didn't have anything to do with today."

"We'll have to agree to disagree there." Jason responded, "Maybe Kim wasn't so much the issue today, but your reaction to everyone's feelings definitely is."

Tommy stiffened, "What do you think I should have done? What happens when someone finds out their family didn't make it out in time? Do you honestly think it's a good idea to go into battle with that kind of grief?"

"Do you think it's a good idea to go into battle knowing the next person you may fight might be your own father or maybe your kid sister?" Jason fought back tears as he started to face his own fears, "I'd rather go into battle knowing exactly who my enemy is, rather than worrying that the next face I see is going to be a loved one."

"I see your point, but is it feasible to find everyone's family? Do we really have the time and the resources?" Jason had to agree with Tommy on that point. "Now it's my turn to ask a question: Do you resent me taking your place as leader?"

There it was; it the question Jason had always expected but never wanted to answer. "I did, yes." Tommy was visibly hurt by his response, "I thought Zordon chose you because I had failed. I had taken full responsibility when you lost your powers to the Green Candle and I thought Zordon was finally punishing me. I thought you becoming the leader had less to do with your abilities and more to do with my inadequacies. But you have to understand this: I trusted you then and I trust you know. In hindsight I was able to see that Zordon made the correct choice. It wasn't because of something I did wrong, just what you did right." Jason felt ashamed for what he had just admitted, but it had only been fair. "Now I have one more question." Tommy motioned for him to continue, "Why didn't you fight for her?"

Tommy's face visibly whitened as he stood up and turned to walk away, "I'm done with this." His voice turned cold, "I've gotten nothing more to say about _that_."

Jason refused to be deterred and he kicked out his leg and knocked Tommy back to the ground. The two wrestled for a moment, but Jason pinned Tommy on his stomach with his hands behind his back. "Now, I'll give you two choices: One, you answer my question, we go back inside, you apologize and we move on. Two, I send Kat out here to finish kicking the snot out of you and then we're another Ranger down. Your call."

Jason could here Tommy mutter a few obscenities in his direction but he finally surrendered, "I was the one who told her to go in the first place." He paused and Jason felt Tommy begin to shake slightly and the Red Ranger wondered if he would start crying, "I told her to chase her dreams and not stop until she was there. I told her to follow her heart and look where we ended up." He was silent again but then added, more softly, "And I was scared that I would go there and see just how happy she was with him. I was scared to see someone else make her happier than I ever could."

Jason released Tommy and helped him back to his feet. "Tommy Oliver, you're an idiot and a coward." _And so is Kimberly._ Tommy narrowed his eyes and stormed back into the Command Center and Jason was quick to follow. Now Jason understood his new role as a Ranger. Tommy would have to stand up and hold the team together and Jason was going to have to hold Tommy together. Until Kat and Kim could get their acts together, there was no one else who could do it.

Jason just hoped that they didn't kill each other in the process.

* * *

Kim watched Tommy closely as he silently stepped back into the Command Center. No one else had noticed his return so Kim had just a moment with him to herself. So what they sat on opposite ends of the room and didn't even speak a word? Kim could read him like a book and for a quick second she saw his regret flash through his eyes when they met hers and she knew it was an apology of sorts. Whatever it was, however, was quickly replaced with cool indifference. _You did a lot more damage to him with that letter then his words did to you Kim. Even though his words were false, the anger behind them was something you deserved._

When Jason returned, he purposefully made noise and the rest of the Rangers became aware of Tommy's presence. The tension was chocking the air out of the room as Tommy slowly stood back up and carefully turned his head towards Jason who nodded once. Tommy returned his gaze to the rest of the group, "I'm sorry for what happened earlier. I was out of line and I said some things I had no right saying." He shifted uncomfortably and as he continued to speak his voice grew weaker and Kim could tell he was afraid how they would all react, "This is a highly emotional situation and I'm—we all are--falling apart at the seams. I know there's a strong possibility that our families didn't make it, but we have to have some sort of hope that they're okay. We have to fight for the possibility that when we defeat Zedd they'll all be there to celebrate with us." Kim couldn't hold back the tears and she noticed that there were no dry eyes in the room. "We've always been a team that had each others backs when things got rough. Let's make sure that doesn't change. If something happens, we trust each other and lean on each other."

Billy replied softly, "Of course." And there was a chorus of similar replies. .

"Thank you Tommy, for your inspiring words." Zordon's voice broke through the silence and Kimberly jumped out of her seat, "It is my hope that you remember these words, for I fear the situation is so dire that you will need that hope and trust in each other to make it to the end."

Kim spoke first, "Did you find anything that can help us?"

Zordon's response was filled with sadness and regret, "Nothing I hadn't already feared, but I am afraid that if there is any chance of survival then sacrifices must be made."

"Tell us what you know."

"The battle with Zedd's army was enlightening and I now know where Lord Zedd has gained his newfound powers. Zedd has managed the key to an alternate universe much like our own; however this world is completely comprised of evil. Through this key Lord Zedd is able to tap into an infinite source of power so corrupt that even the powers of good can be tainted and destroyed by it."

Kim swallowed the lump in her throat and she could feel the hope draining from the room as Zordon continued to speak, "Is that what happened to our powers, Zordon?" Billy was the one who asked, even in the darkest moments his mind always searched for answers.

"You are indeed correct Billy. Zedd's powers collided with your own and they struggled for their very existence. In the end, the Morphing Grid had to release your powers and allow them to be destroyed, or else be destroyed itself. The consequences of which are too catastrophic to even begin to explain."

Everyone sat in silence as they absorbed what they had just heard. Kim wrapped herself in her arms tightly and wished that she was in someone else's arms instead. _Now isn't the time to feel sorry for yourself_. She scolded herself and stood up straight; if she was a Power Ranger she was damn well going to act like it. "What can we do to stop him?" she demanded. "Are there any powers out there that can withstand him?"

"The Morphing Grid is a power that expands through most universes and dimensions and as you will come to find out, there are many different Power Ranger teams. There are many Powers connected to the grid that we could access, but I fear they would all fall to the same fate you have already experienced." He hesitated, "As I mentioned before, there may be a way. I have much to explain and so for the time being I ask that you simply listen to this story."

The group nodded silently, afraid to even speak as Zordon continued:

"The Morphing Grid was created at the beginning of time, but it was different from what we know now. The creator—a being with no known name--had no intention of creating the Powers you have used; or the Powers that have been or will be, used by other teams. He simply intended to create one team and this one team would be as infinite as the Power he had created. He created these powers from the very things that made up the universe: water, earth, air, light and, fire. Then he created the sixth power to bind them together. This warrior would draw his power from the heavens, and would be set to guide and protect those whom he guarded. Once finished, the creator called upon six warriors he felt worthy of the task at hand. All six were honored and delighted to be given such a mission, but when they learned the sacrifices they were expected to make, five of the six refused the Power."

Kim was shocked, what could possibly be so horrible that they refused to do what was necessary to save their world? Then she recalled a time when she had refused Zordon's offer to become the Pink Ranger, her own insecurities and disbelief had lead her to doubt Zordon's words, but she had been naïve and once faced with evil itself none of them hesitated to make the choice. Why did these warriors choose to decline the offer, what sacrifice were they expected to make?

"The creator despaired at the loss of the five and the sixth warrior tried to comfort him and went in search of those who would accept these powers. Years later, he returned to the creator with no team. The creator gave up his quest and took the powers and locked them away. He then opened the Morphing Grid, so that those who intended to use its powers for good could have access to create their own team of warriors. The Sixth warrior then took the knowledge he had been given and he created both sets of Power Coins that you ten have used."

Kim's eyes widened at the revelation and despite Zordon's request she and a few others let a name slip past their lips, "Ninjor."

"That is correct. Ninjor was one of the original six chosen warriors and when asked to accept the Power he was the only one who was willing to bear its burden."

"What do you mean 'bear its burden'?" Rocky spoke from the back of the room.

"The original powers are eternal and they do not come from any coin or gem, they are simply become a part of whoever chooses to accept them. They cannot be lost, taken away or passed on to another. The warrior can choose to give them up once evil has faced its ultimate destruction or they can be lost in the battlefield, after which the Powers would return to rest and wait for a new team to claim them."

"Puts a whole new meaning to the phrase, 'Once a Ranger' doesn't it?" Zack's joke was weak but Kim felt a slight smile and she thought about these powers. Which would be hers? What would it feel like coursing through her veins? The idea of these powers brought forth contradictory feelings. Kim always wanted to be able to call upon the Power again and once again be a part of the team, but the thought of being an active Ranger forever scared the living daylights out of her.

They sat in silence for a few more moments, "And these are the only powers that can defeat Zedd."

"I should be clearer: these powers are not infallible and I fear that they may be weak after lying dormant for so long. But some power is better than none, and the strength of these powers is that they cannot be destroyed. There may be other benefits…"

"The Zords!" Billy cried out, "Could they power the Zords?"

"That is my hope, Billy. Though the Powers would exist separate from your Zords, I believe that we can use your old Power Coins to channel these powers to the Zords. I think it would be the only way to overcome the sheer numbers of Zedd's army. Though the bond between the Zords and the powers would be weak and may not be reliable, this is a battle where we will need all the help we can get."

"So, if we were going to use these Powers what would we have to do?" Kim could hear the uncertainty in Tommy's voice and she wondered if the thought of these powers both scared and excited him as well.

"I have placed a terrible burden upon the shoulders of you all and if you choose to accept these powers then I will accept that. I will come to terms with the knowledge that my decisions have forced you all into such a position that you will have to sacrifice that which I had never intended. I never meant for the Power to deny you the chance at what every human being deserves, a normal life."

"At this point all we can do is fight so that others can go on and live their lives." Jason stood tall and placed his hand on Tommy's shoulder, "We'll deal with the consequences later."

"Very well then, I have a request to make of you all. There are six powers and nine of you…"

"Hey! What am I, chopped liver?" Zack cried out, only partially joking as he shook his fist in mock-indignation.

"I am sorry Zack, but the quest we must undertake is more perilous than any you have faced before. However minor your injury may be, I will not risk permanent damage to your being. I do not know if these powers are strong enough to heal you, and we would be no better off if you were to take on the powers injured."

Kim smiled reassuringly at Zack who seemed to take very little comfort in Zordon's words. Kim felt herself smirk however, when Kat placed a hand on his knee as a small comforting gesture. _Who saw that one coming?_ Kim bit back a giggle when Zack placed his hand onto of Kat's, both seemingly unaware of their actions.

"As I was saying: There are six powers and nine of you. I ask you know to take time amongst yourselves to decide who is willing to receive the powers and who is not. If less than six of you are willing to do so, then we shall abandon this line of thought and search for an alternative method. If more than six of you choose to accept this responsibility then we shall find some fair method of deciding the team. Can you all agree to these terms?"

There was a murmur of agreement throughout the room. "We're Power Rangers, through and through." Kim listened intently to Adam, who rarely spoke but almost always had something important to say. "Powers or not, we are all one team. Those of us without powers will fight alongside those who do." He paused for a moment as if unsure he should continue, but everyone stared at him completely captivated, "There may have been a time in the future where would have retired and moved in the world and some of us have already done that. But we all know that the Power not only protects us, it also binds us together no matter what happens in the future. No one will share what the ten of us have shared and I don't think anything can break us."

He tentatively placed his hand out and one by one the others placed their hands on top of his. Kat hesitated, but placed her hand on top of Zack's, who was leaning against her shoulder awkwardly. Kim was the last to join in. She was still unsure of her place in the group but this was their battle and she would see it to the end.

"On three…" Tommy led the count. Kim never remembered the circle being so tight, but it felt good to be pushed against the others as if they were holding each other up, "One, two, three!"

"Power Rangers!"

Adam quietly added, "Always."

* * *

_A/N: Wow, kind of corny at the end there, but hey it's the Power Rangers. I could do a lot worse and you all know it. Seriously though, that was a heck of a long chapter and I still had more planned. It was hard for me to write and parts of it didn't turn out like I wanted, but I don't think I'll ever be 100 satisfied with this chapter. Although, having Kat kick Tommy's ass was fun. I felt she deserved the chance; after all she kind of gets treated poorly in a lot of fiction. Next couple chapters will probably be shorter and less action packed and more character driven. It may drag on a bit at times, but please hang in there because I'm working towards a big finish, I promise. _

_I want to thank all you guys for your kind words, please keep reviewing and let me know what you think. I'm having lots of fun with this story, though it keeps surprising me (hackZackandKatcough) with twists and turns I hadn't planned. I hope you all are enjoying it too! Silver Phoenix Ranger _


	5. The Power Transfer

Part 5: The Power Transfer

"So, how do we do this?"

"Rock, paper, scissors." Rocky replied gravely.

"I don't think Zordon would approve." Trini scolded and she reached over and placed her hand on Billy's shoulder, "Any ideas?"

"Negative." The Blue Ranger answered despondently.

"Well I have one." Bitterness seeped through Zach's words and Kat felt a twinge of sadness and guilt towards the first Black Ranger**. **If Zordon would have allowed it, she would have gladly given him her coin. "I say you guys go out and get me a whole bunch of painkillers. Then I won't feel the pain and I'll go on this little quest-thing and get those powers. If these new powers don't heal me then I'll just fight drugged."

Kat gave Zack a sympathetic smile, "I don't think Zordon would approve of a Ranger on drugs." He rolled his eyes, "It might violate some ethical code or something."

"Quit being rational."

The group tried to laugh, but it was forced and once again they descended into silence**. **Kat fingered the Power Coin in her pocket and she wondered if she could take on the new power and finally find her place in the group. There was something about the Power she had yet to understand; was it something she could be a part of or was she destined to be the odd person of the group? She glanced over at Kim and she heard a small voice in the back of her head whispered the Kim needed the power more than she did. Still, Kat wanted to be selfish. She wanted to understand what made this eclectic group of friends tick and what kept them together no matter the distances that separated them. What did she have to gain by stepping aside and giving up her chance at being a Power Ranger?

Her eyes sought out Zack's face and she smiled warmly at him, causing his tense demeanor to relax and though his lips barely twitched, Kat recognized a spark in his eye that made her heart beat faster.

"Here's how I see it." Kat's thoughts were interrupted as Jason began to speak, "Kim, Zack, Trini, and I all gave up or powers to do other things. They belong to you guys now and we can't ask you to give them up."

There were nods of agreement and Kat wanted to scream: _Quit being noble! Everyone here knows the four of you make better Rangers than I could have ever been._

"So, what do you suggest?"

Jason shrugged, "I think Tommy should decide since he's been leader of both teams."

"Coward." Kat heard Tommy mutter under his breath before he continued, "Listen, I think first and foremost we should remember that this means we would be Rangers forever. College, careers, families, all that stuff probably won't happen. If we take on these powers, we need to take on the responsibilities that come with them. These Powers are meant to fight evil until it no longer exists, that means **we **fight evil until it no longer exists." He paused and his shoulders slumped, "I think we can all agree that it's going to be a long time before anyone can completely eradicate evil."

Aisha smiled sadly, "Wow, I can kind of understand why these powers were never used. It's kind of hard to imagine giving up all that stuff."

"It's a lot to ask, but it's the only hope we have and we are the only ones who can do it." Tommy squared his shoulders and Kat felt a rush of relief as Tommy seemed to step back into his role of leader, "Consequences or not, we made the choice to be Power Rangers and this is where that choice as led us, so lets keep moving forward. I say we all take time to ourselves and decide if this is something each of us can do. If you feel like you can't handle the responsibility, that's okay. None of us here will think any less of you."

Everyone agreed and split up, but Kat didn't move from her spot. Kim, Trini and Aisha all sat together and motioned for her to join them, but she shook her head. She needed to consult someone else about this. She watched as Billy walked over to Alpha and the two began to have an animated conversation. Adam and Rocky sat huddled and appeared to be having a heated exchange of sorts which was something Kat had never witnessed between the two best friends. Rocky shot Jason a couple quick glances and pulled out his coin, while Adam shook his head furiously and kept pointing at Rocky. Jason and Tommy sat together in silence as they waited for the others. _If anyone should take the power_, Kat though, _it would be those two. _

Kat leaned against Zack's chair and he placed an arm around her shoulder, "So what do you think?" he whispered softly as she rested her head on his knee.

"I don't know if I should do it." The words just slipped past Kat's lips and finally she had found someone to open up to**.**

"Well, I always wondered if I would look good in pink." He paused for a moment, "But I don't know about the skirt."

Kat gave Zack a gentle push, "It's not fair." She sighed, "I was never really a Ranger, but here I am with the Power Coin. While you **are **a Ranger and yet you're forced to the sidelines."

"What do you mean you were never really a Ranger?" There was no accusation in his voice, no outrage. It was just a simple question with no judgment attached.

Kat ran her hand through her hair and frowned, "When Kim offered me her place as the Pink Ranger I felt like I had to do it; I needed to atone for what I had done under Rita's spell. I knew how much Kim meant to the team and I thought that if no one took her place, the group would fall apart. It was such a big responsibility and I was so scared. I admit I was relieved when Zordon said we no longer needed our Powers and I never had to use them. It was a huge weight lifted off of my shoulders."

"What scared you the most: The thought of being a Power Ranger or being compared to Kim?"

"I was excited to be a Power Ranger it was a great honor, but to try and fill Kim's void in the team seemed impossible. I dreaded being compared to her, because I knew I could never measure up to her."

Zack pulled Kat close, "They would have never done that. You would have been a different Pink Ranger and you would have forged your own place in the team."

Kat wanted to believe him so badly it hurt. She wanted more than anything to be a Ranger like the others. "I wish it were true." She murmured softly, "I wish I had the Power like the rest of you. I don't care about the Power Coins and fighting battles and all that, I just want that bond you guys share. I want to be a part of all of this but I think it's too late. "

"Uh, hello? You **are** a part of all of this. You realize we've known each other for a day but look at us!" He motioned at the distance between them-maybe half an inch-and Kat felt her cheeks burning. "This sort of thing doesn't just happen between any two people. Kat, being a Power Ranger has less to do with actual fighting and more to do with the team and the people it's made of. We work as a team, we fight with honor, and we defend the innocent; all in the name of what is right and good. We do this on and off the battlefield. We aren't Rangers because we use the Powers to fight evil monsters; we're Rangers because we **chose **to use these powers to do what was right. Morphing doesn't make you a Ranger, the choices you make when given the Power does."

Kat sighed deeply and Zack ran his hand through her hair once, "I don't know."

"Zack's right." Jason's voice snapped her to attention. "You're a Power Ranger because you accepted the responsibilities of the Power, not the actual Power itself."

"Then why don't I feel like I belong?"

Zack merely shrugged, "Maybe because you're still a newbie. I didn't really understand it all until after the three of us left and we were able to gain some perspective from the outside. Since we were the first Rangers, we just kind of had to go with the flow and learn as we went along. Things never made sense but you just had to accept it. Now here you come in and it's new to you and confusing, but we all kind of get it while you have to figure it out. You can't analyze it, Billy's tried. You can't force it to explain itself, Jason tried. All you can do is what you have to and let the rest follow."

"And what do you have to do?"

"You have to follow your heart. Your heart told you to step up and be the Pink Ranger. You did that and now you're a Ranger, your head just has to accept that."

"So what if my heart is telling me that I need to give my coin to someone else?"

"Then you give you're coin to someone else, if it's for the right reasons." Zack said softly.

Kat nodded solemnly and she shot a glance over in Kim's direction, "She's lost." Kat whispered sadly, "She's afraid she can't go back and undo the mistakes she's made in the past."

"She can't." Jason stated bluntly, "She can't go back and change what's already been done."

"No," Kat agreed, "But she can move forward and heal the wounds. She just needs direction."

"And who's going to give her that direction?"

Kat said nothing; she simply reached into her pocket and wrapped her fingers around the lifeless coin and for the first time the burden it carried didn't feel so heavy.

* * *

Kim was grateful when Tommy quickly called the group back together. The conversation with Trini and Aisha had gone nowhere and Kim suspected that it everyone's conversations came to the same conclusions**.** They all were too self-sacrificing to make this decision. Maybe Rocky had the right idea."I know this is hard to do." Tommy spoke softly, "And since we don't have a lot of time, I say we cut straight to the chase. Let's be honest with each other and be true to ourselves." He paused and caught Kim's eye and she did her best to smile reassuringly at him. His face didn't falter, but Kim saw a smile in his eyes for just one moment, "I'm going to ask this now and be honest: Is there anyone currently in possession of a Power Coin that wishes to pass it on?"

Kim swallowed the lump in her throat, contradictory thoughts flooding through her mind as she wished that someone would give her their coin. But was it right of her to accept it? She caught Kat's gaze as the Australian opened her mouth, but it was Billy who spoke**.** "I have come to the conclusion that I would best serve the team in a different capacity." He shifted nervously, "I have spoken with Alpha and I have concluded that the work needed to connect the Zords with your new powers is quite extensive and must be done in a timely manner. Alpha is concerned that he cannot do the work fast enough alone and the two of us will be most efficient in completing the task." He stood up and walked over to Trini, kneeling down in front of her and grasping her hand. "It is for that reason I give Trini my coin. I know it is in capable hands." He placed the coin in her palm, wrapping her fingers around it and giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

Trini opened her mouth to speak, but Kim could see she was struggling to hold back her tears. So she simply nodded her head firmly and Billy slowly pulled his hand away while Trini clutched to the coin that was probably still warm from Billy's touch. Kim reached out and gave Trini a hug as Jason clapped Billy on the shoulder and they all sat in silence for a moment. Kimberly waited for someone else to speak up, for someone to give her the second chance she didn't deserve. After a few moments Tommy prompted, "Anyone else?"

Rocky made a motion as if he was going to stand up, but Adam grabbed the second Red Ranger and forced him back into his seat. Adam pulled out his own coin and studied it and Kim thought he hesitated for a moment before he held his coin out to Jason, "Here." He said softly, "You were the first to accept the power**. **No one in this room can say you don't deserve it. My heart is telling me this is the right thing to do." Kim heard Adam's voice falter slightly and she wondered if he wasn't being completely honest. "It's yours if you want it."

Jason didn't reach out to take the coin and Kim saw him glance at Rocky who was, in turn, frowning at Adam. "Are you sure?"

Adam nodded, "I know it's the right thing to do." He stated simply.

Jason reached out and took the coin. "Thank you." Adam merely shrugged his shoulders and stood next to Zack; who, Kim noticed, was sitting the furthest from Rocky.

Tommy gave Jason a genuine smile and the two shook hands. "Welcome back to the team, bro."

Kim chewed on her bottom lip and she was suddenly aware that Tommy probably wouldn't give her such a warm welcome. Doubt crept through her mind as she realized that even if someone else offered her their coin, Tommy may not want her back. She began to wonder if she even deserved to come back**. **

"Kim?" Kat's voice broke her out of her trance and Kim was startled to find the tall blonde standing right in front of her, "I want you to take my place." Kat leaned in closer and lowered her voice so no one else could hear, "I think it's best for both of us."

Kim was torn; she had wanted so desperately to be able to come back and fix her mistakes, but she wasn't foolish enough to believe that was possible. She glanced around the room and noticed that the others were desperately trying to keep from eavesdropping on their conversation, though Tommy was staring at the two of them coldly. Kim shook her head, "I can't." she whispered sharply and she pushed the coin back towards Kat. "I made my choice and now I have to live with it. Besides, To…"

"Has nothing to say about this." Kat finished, "You gave this to me so I get to choose who takes my place, not Tommy. I'm not exactly his favorite person either, remember?"

Kim shook her head furiously, trying to ignore the urge to grab the coin from Kat. "Is this because you don't think you're a Ranger?"

Kat shrugged, "That's part of it, yes." Kim was caught off guard by Kat's frank reply, "I don't understand it yet, but maybe a little perspective from the outside will help." Kat shot a quick glance at Zack before once again holding up the coin to Kim. "Kim, do this for yourself." She paused and looked thoughtful, "Do this for Tommy."

There it was. Kim knew Kat was trapping her in a corner with an offer she couldn't possibly refuse. And by the smug look on Kat's face, the second Pink Ranger knew it would probably work. "How is this going to be good for Tommy?" Kim lowered her voice, noticing Tommy was leaning in closer at the mention of his name, "All I've done is hurt him and he'd probably be better off if I left him alone."

"Maybe." And Kim felt like she had been slapped, "You made a horrible mistake and you wounded him pretty deep, but I understand why you did it. Now, you can't go back and change what you've done and you can't just come back and act like nothing has happened. What you can do is move forward, accept this coin, work with Tommy, and start the healing process for both of you." Kim met Kat's eye, "I don't know where that will lead you two, but hopefully it is a better place then where you both are now."

Kim glanced down at the coin greedily, "I don't know."

"Kim, listen to your heart. You know what happened the last time you didn't."

Kim felt her chest pounding and she closed her eyes. She wanted this. She _needed_ this. She took the coin from Kat's hand and smiled. There was no rush of power flowing through her veins. The coin was cold; the metal was dull and the markings had faded. Still, she felt hope fill her once again. "I'll do it." She said loudly and Kat stepped back into the circle.

Kim spared no one else a glance as she only had eyes for Tommy. He stared at her for a moment and Kim saw a flood of emotions cross his chocolate eyes: Anger, hurt, fear and a bit of hope. Maybe Kat was right and this was a way to heal both her and Tommy's wounds. She had to try.

"All right." Tommy's voice was stiff, "Is there anyone else?" Rocky shifted in his seat, but chose to remain silent. "That's settled then. The new team consists of Jason, Rocky, Aisha, Trini, Kim, and me. Are there any objections?" The room was silent and Tommy turned up to Zordon, "We've made our decision."

Zordon nodded, "Very well then, I will contact Ninjor and prepare for the journey." Kim felt the anticipation begin to build inside her, she had really missed this. "While I finish preparations, I ask that the ten of you reserve your strength. Eat and then rest. I shall inform you when the time has come for the six of you to depart."

There were no protests and as Alpha shuffled out of the room to prepare a quick meal. Rocky followed closely behind, muttering, "It's about time we got something to eat."

Kim pocketed her coin and steeled herself for what she had to do next. She walked up to Tommy and before she lost her courage she grabbed his hand. "Can we talk?" She whispered in his ear, he went rigid at her touch and he leaned closer for a brief moment before pulling himself away**.** "It's important that we do this." She couldn't loose her nerve now.

Tommy looked as if he was about to protest, but he sagged slightly and led her away from the others. Suddenly, Kim was aware that this was the first time she would speak to Tommy alone since the letter. She was painfully aware that her hair was a mess, her breath was probably rancid, her make-up was most-likely smudged from crying and the glare in Tommy's eyes suddenly made her want to hide under a rock. The words she had wanted to say seemed trapped in her throat and she struggled to find her voice. Tommy seemed to recognize her predicament.

"Let me guess," He sneered, "You wanted to tell me how sorry you are. Well save your breath because I don't care."

* * *

Tommy suddenly felt like he was the evil Green Ranger as Kim withered under his words. He wanted to relish in hurt in her face; he wanted to believe that the anger behind his words was justified. He wanted to gloat when she coward under his gaze.

He wanted to so badly, but he couldn't.

"I'm going to say it anyways." She said after a moment and she straightened her shoulders and met his gaze head on, "I'm sorry."

Tommy felt slightly deflated and shoved his hands in his pockets, "Why did you do it? What went wrong?"

Kim sighed and wrapped her arms around herself. "I ask myself that same question everyday." Tommy watched as a tear slid slowly down her cheek but her voice didn't waver, "In some twisted way it made sense in my mind. Tommy, I was miserable in Florida. All I wanted to do was quit and come home."

"Then why didn't you?" he accused, "If it was so awful there why didn't you come back? I would have been right here waiting for you."

"Would you?" Tommy was taken aback by the bitterness in Kim's voice, "You were the one who told me to go. What would you have thought of me if I had come back like some coward?"

Tommy felt himself seethe with anger. How dare she blame this on him? "So this was my fault?" he shouted and suddenly everyone in the room turned their attention towards him. He quickly lowered his voice and stepped closer towards Kim, "I did nothing but support _your_ dreams. I sacrificed my own happiness for yours." Tears were streaming down her face but he didn't stop, "You went off to live your dream and I waited for you to come back so I could start living mine."

Tommy glowered down at Kim as she began to wring her hands nervously, "You don't understand!" She insisted, "Florida, the Pan-Globals, all of that…it wasn't the dream I thought it was. Not without my friends. Not without you." Tommy felt himself lean closer to Kim and he became painfully aware at how close his hand was to hers, "I was scared and alone and I thought you would think less of me for coming back."

"My feelings were never contingent upon your winning medals. All I wanted was for you to be happy and I wanted to be the one who made you happy."

"I know that now, and I'm sorry I was so stupid to think something like that. I'm sorry I ever thought your feelings were anything other than unconditional."

Tommy nodded once before asking the question he wasn't sure he wanted an answer to, "What about the other guy?"

Tommy watched Kim turn a bright shade of pink as she turned her back to him. "His name is Bryan." Already Tommy felt like he had too much information, "He's a nice guy. He tries really hard but I'm not sure…" Her voice trailed off and he tried to suppress the hope that filled his chest at those words. He wanted to heal and move on with his life; if there was a future, he didn't want to spend it hoping he and Kim would share it together. She shook her head and continued, "He offered a lot of support when I was afraid I couldn't talk to you. He's not Mr. Perfect, but he's a good person."

"But I thought he was 'the one' for you?" Tommy leered despite his best efforts to remain civil. "Or is he just like a brother to you too?" Somehow, talking about this Bryan made him feel better about being angry and Tommy was aware that Jason's glare was probably burning a hole in his back.

"I'm sorry!" Kim wailed, "Will it make you feel better that from the moment I met him, all I could think about was how he wasn't you? How he could never make me feel the way I do with you? How he could never give me the life I wanted because that life was supposed to include you? Do you want to know that every time I think of Bryan, my heart breaks a little more because I think of you? I do love Bryan, but it's nothing like what we shared. Nothing will be!"

"No it doesn't make me feel better." Though secretly it did.

Kim turned back towards him and nodded, "If I could go back and do it over, I would never have left. I would choose you over Bryan any day."

"Too bad that's not an option."

"So what are my options?"

Tommy paused for a moment and he noticed the others had begun to eat, realizing their time was limited Tommy sighed in defeat. "I don't know, Kim. Let's get one thing straight, I'm okay with you being back on the team. You're a great Ranger and an asset to the team." He paused and added cautiously, "As for us…I don't know. I don't know if I can trust you, I'm always going to wonder when you're going to hurt me again. I want to move on with my life and I think this is a step in the right direction. I just want to be friends again"

"Friends." Kim repeated sadly and nodded.

"Friends." Tommy reaffirmed, "You're with Bryan now…"and suddenly Tommy felt like an anvil smashed him across the face. "The arena." Bryan would have been there. How could he have been so stupid?

Kim smiled sadly, "Bryan wasn't there." Tommy was genuinely surprised, what kind of idiot was this Bryan? Tommy would have done anything, even fly his Zord to the arena, just to watch Kim compete. "He had to fly into L.A. for his Uncle's funeral." _Well great, now I feel guilty__**.**_

"I'm sorry." Tommy genuinely offered, "At least he's okay for now. Hopefully you'll find him when this is over."

"And then what?" Kim replied with a remorseful smile, "My life has just changed course and I don't think it's a path I can share with him."

Tommy had all but forgotten the decision they had all just made. The scope of it all was just a little too much for him to bear at the moment and all he wanted to remember is what they were fighting for. Nothing else mattered. "Then why did you agree to join the team?"

"That's between Kat and me." She answered cryptically.

Tommy wanted to demand a better explanation, but Aisha's voice rang out, "You two going to eat?"

Kim nodded and Tommy thought there conversation was finished. He turned to join the others when her hand grabbed his and pulled him back. His breath caught in his throat and he felt his hand involuntarily squeeze hers in return. "What about us?" she asked hopefully.

Tommy smiled solemnly, "Friends."

She nodded "Friends." She pulled her hand away and Tommy had to tell himself to let go. He watched her walk towards the others and reminded himself not to want anything more than her friendship; it was all he could afford without fear of getting burned in the end.

* * *

_A/N: Well, there you go. Another chapter done (I apologize for taking so long to update)! Like I said, shorter than before and less action packed, but definitely moving our characters forward. And I finally got Tommy and Kim alone for a few moments! Also, you know the team (Good job to Anjirika__**…**__..for guessing correctly)! Now, who gets what power (sorry Anjirika__**…**__.you were close, but not quite right)? And what roles will Kat, Adam, Billy and Zack play? Find out in Part 6: A Different Shade of Ranger…coming very soon!_


	6. Forever Rangers

Part 6: Forever Rangers

* * *

Jason lay on his cot with his eyes wide open while he anxiously waited to begin their expedition. The sound of heavy breathing and the occasional snoring indicated that a few of the others were actually sleeping, but the heavy beat of his own heart kept him awake. Zordon had said the journey they would make would be perilous, but how so? He remembered when Tommy had told him of their journey through the Desert of Despair and how they had lost hope of survival. Now they faced an even more terrifying situation, so surely the quest they would embark upon would be that much more treacherous?

The moments passed by slowly and Jason felt himself growing more anxious by the minute. What was taking so long? Zordon _did_ realize that they needed to stop the end of the world, right? Lord Zedd would continue his war path and Jason knew that Zedd would eventually tire of playing games and then he would make his final move. Would they even return in time to stop him from destroying planet or would they return to find the Earth nothing but a mass grave?

Jason shook those morbid thoughts from his head as Zordon's voice pierced the silence of the room. "Rangers the time has come."

Jason sat up and out of habit, took a quick appraisal of each of his teammates' current physical and mental conditions. Adam and Kat had been sleeping while Aisha and Trini sat with Billy who had been discussing the steps of connecting the Zords to their new powers. Poor Aisha had clearly been overwhelmed by the conversation and looked relieved that Zordon had interrupted it. Zack was stretching his legs and doing his best to walk without a limp. Jason figured that Zack would be joining them in battle very soon. Rocky sat near Adam, but clearly alone. Jason had noticed the rift between the second Red and Black Ranger though Jason could hardly imagine what would have torn those two apart.

Jason searched for Kim and found her sitting closest to Tommy, but her arms and legs were pulled into herself and she was clearly afraid of making any physical contact with the White Ranger. Jason was no fool and he knew that whatever the two had discussed earlier had done little to resolve their relationship. Sure they had managed a conversation without someone throwing a punch, but Jason was beginning to wonder if their relationship was salvageable. Kim had broken not only Tommy's heart, but his trust as well. Not that Tommy was completely innocent in the matter; his pent up rage towards Kim caused an already damaged young woman to crack just a little more. Maybe all he could hope for was two teammates who respected each other enough to not let their personal issues get their team killed.

Jason's focus shifted from his teammates to behind the viewing globe. Jason watched a looming shadow shift from behind the monitor as a large blue being stepped into the light. "Greetings Rangers." He waved his hand out in front of them and Kim's squeal of delight confirmed that this was Ninjor. Tommy strode up to Ninjor and the two shook hands warmly. "It is good to see you all again."

The six original Ninja Rangers gathered around Ninjor, while Jason found himself standing next to Trini, Zack, and Kat. "So_ that_is the great Ninjor?" Trini whispered quietly, "Not exactly what I expected."

Jason nodded, but didn't respond as Ninjor turned and faced them. "It is a great honor to finally meet you." Ninjor strode over to the first Red Ranger and the other three with his arms outstretched. "I am privileged to be standing in the presence ofallthe Power Rangers from this time."

Jason found his voice and extended his hand out to the Ninja Master, "It's truly an honor for all of us to meet the creator of our Power Coins."

Zack nodded and also shook Ninjor's hand. "Yeah, thanks man! You are truly one amazing dude!"

Ninjor began to stutter his "thank yous" and Jason was surprised that this was indeed the all powerful creator of the Power Coins that Tommy had spoken so highly of. Jason began to grow impatient as the reunion began to drag on a little too long Jason fought the urge to step back into being the leader and he shot Tommy a quick glance. The White Ranger was already on the move and Tommy pulled Ninjor away from Zack (who was trying to weasel his way into the team) and back in front of the group. "We need to get moving." Tommy reprimanded "Ninjor, what do we do?"

The blue ninja turned towards Zack, Kat, Adam and Billy, "First and foremost you four are this Planet's only line of defense while we are gone. I must warn you all that were we are going; time does not flow as it does here. I cannot say how long we will be gone; it could be a mere matter of moments or several days. We are counting on you four to keep our hopes alive. I have faith that you can do just that."

Jason felt a heavy hand grip his heart with Ninjor's words. They faced many unanswered questions in this journey, and he began to fear the answers they would find may not be enough to save the Earth. "You can count on us." Adam stood proudly and Zack nodded. "We won't let you down."

Ninjor nodded, "Thank you Adam, I am glad to hear that you have not given up faith in each other. It is in your friendship that is the only thing that can pull you through your darkest hours to come." Ninjor turned and Jason and the new team of Rangers gathered in front of him. "I ask that the six of you form a circle around me in this order: Jason, Rocky, Trini, Aisha, Kimberly, and Tommy." Jason and the others did as they were instructed. "Prepare your minds and hearts for the unprecedented journey that awaits you."

"I don't mean to be rude." Aisha's voice rang out, "but do you mind telling us exactly where we are going?"

"Indeed. Your physical bodies are going absolutely no where. Your souls, however, will be traveling inside the Morphing Grid itself."

The Morphing Grid? They could actually travel inside the Morphing Grid?

"I did not realize the Morphing Grid was an actual locality." Billy's voice called out from behind the console and Jason could hear a bit of jealousy in the Blue Ranger's voice.

"Indeed, though it is not what you think. The Grid connects the Rangers to their powers, whether it is through a coin or a crystal or through the very person themselves. While the Ranger may give up their power, they can never give up their connection to the Grid. Hence the reason the Power always protects you. I wish I could tell you all more, but you will learn as you travel through the grid. Time is of the essence and we must move quickly."

Jason became apprehensive; the thought of traveling to the Morphing Grid was daunting. The heavy burden they were all about to bear was starting to become more apparent.

"Now Rangers, please hold hands and close your eyes. Close your minds and hearts to the world around you and clear all thoughts of darkness and despair from your hearts. Remember your friendships. Hold on to the trust you have in one another. Remember that you are all still here and that within yourselves, and each of your comrades, lays the light that will hold back the darkness and shine forth into the future."

Jason gripped Rocky and Tommy's hands firmly as he felt himself being pulled in two. He literally felt his soul separating from his body, but he felt no pain. He simply felt warm and light and as he felt himself shifting between worlds, he was embraced by the color red.

* * *

Kat watched as the room filled with color and light, all shades of each Ranger. For just the briefest of moments she felt that everything was at balance and for a split second she saw nothing but color. She was aware of the others; she could feel them inside her, their hearts beating in synch with hers. She watched in awe as Tommy and the others were enveloped in their respective color and they started to grow brighter and Kat knew they were about to enter the Morphing Grid.

And then everything stopped and Kat found herself transfixed by the sight before her. The six of them were in a sort of suspended animation, they were bathed in their respective colors and their faces were bore expressions that could only be described as peaceful.

Kat jumped probably two feet in the air when the alarm sounded and the lights flashing in the room were harsh and cold compared to what she had just witnessed a few moments earlier. "What is it?" Though she was sure probably didn't want an answer.

"Ay yi yi!" Alpha placed his hands on his head in typical fashion, "Lord Zedd is attacking again!"

"Where is he now Alpha?" Zordon asked.

"It appears that he is outside the base at Stone Canyon!"

"Isn't that were the citizens of Angel Grove would have been evacuated to?" Kat felt her throat constrict with fear and the next words almost died in her throat, "That's were our families would be, isn't it?"

Kat watched as Adam nodded in confirmation and Billy's shoulders slumped in defeat, "It would appear that Zedd wishes to finish destroying Angel Grove."

"Why is he doing this?" Zack questioned as he got up and stalked up towards Zordon, and Kat smiled as he tried to hide his limp. "If he's got this endless power source, why is he messing around? If he wants to destroy Earth, why doesn't he just do it?"

"I believe his desire is not just to destroy the Earth." Kat had never heard Zordon's voice so quiet and she wondered if he was frightened by what he had to say, "He wishes to destroy all of you first. He will destroy all that you hold dear, forcing you to watch while he destroys what you stood to protect. Then he will do the same thing to me, he will force me to watch as he kills all of you."

The room was heavy with silence and Kat felt the grief behind Zordon's words. "Then we need to make sure it doesn't come to that." Kat stated firmly, "Billy, Adam, and I will go and try to hold Zedd off."

"Hey." Zack started firmly, "I'm not getting left behind again!"

Kat tried to smile, "I'm sorry Zack, but you're not…"

"He should come." Billy interrupted and Kat felt angry for being undermined, "We don't stand a chance by ourselves, but people now know who we are. Perhaps we can convince them to fight alongside of us! I believe that Zack's natural charisma can inspire those who are able to help us fight."

Zack smiled, "I'll lead the cavalry!"

"It's settled then." Adam turned towards Alpha, "Teleport Kat, Billy, and me to the head of Zedd's army. Send Zack inside the base." He turned towards Zack, "Good luck."

"You too, bro." the two Black Rangers shook hands, and Zack gripped Billy's as well. Then he turned towards Kat and her heart beat just a little faster. She had never been more scared for another human being. "Be careful."

She nodded and he pulled her into his chest and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. As she pulled away, she got locked into his gaze and she instinctively leaned closer. Her pulse was racing and she could feel the blood in her veins was burning intensely with a passion she had never known before. The look in his eyes made her knees feel weak and she pressed her body against his for support and she felt a wave of excitement rush through her. She didn't want the physical contact to end, so she leaned even closer and their lips were so close to touching…

"Um, hello?" Kat had temporarily forgotten that Billy was a dear friend as she imagined pummeling him much like she had Tommy earlier. "We need to move on." Billy and Adam were clearly embarrassed by what they had been about to witness, but Kat felt no shame. As they teleported away, she could still feel Zack's touch burning into her skin. It made her feel alive.

* * *

Tommy wasn't sure what to expect when they entered the grid; he didn't know what he would see or who would await them. Whatever he thought he might see it wasn't this.

"Oh wow." Kim whispered next to him and he paused to take it all in.

There were no words to really describe what he saw, only what he felt: Balance, righteousness, and peace. There was no place on Earth—and perhaps no where in the universe—that was like this. "It looks like we have a welcoming party." Aisha whispered softly to Rocky and Tommy looked ahead to see what she was pointing at. What he saw stopped him dead in his tracks.

Power Rangers.

"Who are they?" Trini wondered aloud.

"They are your fellow Rangers." Ninjor responded promptly and Tommy simply stared at the group of soldiers before him. "I promised you that I would explain the mysteries of the Morphing Grid while we journey through it, now I will tell you one of its most important secrets." One of the Rangers in front of them-a Red Ranger-started to come forward, but was halted by Ninjor, "As Zordon may or may not have mentioned' the Morphing Grid spans all space and time. It touches all universes and dimensions in which there is a struggle for a balance between good and evil. The Rangers you see before you are soldiers from those others worlds. Most specifically an alternate future of your very world."

"Excuse me, but will somebody come back to Earth and pick me up because I am totally confused."

Kim's statement elicited a small chuckle from both Jason and Trini, but Tommy was just as lost as Kim. "What do you mean exactly?"

"Maybe I can explain it. They are from a world exactly like ours, except at some point in time something changed." Trini started to laugh as she glanced at Tommy and the White Ranger was sure she found his blank expression very amusing, "For example; let's say everything that happened to us in their universe was exactly the same up until the Peace Conference. Maybe in their universe Jason, Zack, and I never left. That would mean that Rocky, Adam, and Aisha never joined the team." Tommy glanced over at Rocky and Aisha, who bore solemn expressions upon their faces. "Who knows what differences that would have made? And that's a rather drastic example; it's possible an alternate universe could be spun from Kim deciding to walk home instead of drive."

"Okay, I think I get it." Tommy said slowly, though Trini's explanation made some sense, he was still sure his head would be ringing for days. "But that would mean that there are countless alternate universes out there."

"It's just a theory." Trini shrugged.

"So does that mean that there is a universe out there where none of us ever became Power Rangers?" Rocky asked cautiously, "That none of us ever met and became friends?"

"Maybe." Trini replied.

"That sucks."

The group laughed and all nodded in agreement.

"Ahem." They all turned towards Ninjor, who had up until then been waiting patiently. "Trini is indeed correct, though I doubt there is a universe where you all are not friends. I find it impossible to believe that you are all not bound together, even without the force of the Power."

Tommy paused in thought, what made them friends? Was it the Power itself? Or was that merely a reason they had met? If they had met without ever being Power Rangers, what would their relationship be? Would he and Jason still be like brothers? Would Trini and Billy still dance around their feelings towards each other? What about Rocky, Adam, and Aisha? Would he still have fallen in love with Kim?

Was there a universe out there where Kim had never sent that letter; where she came back home and the two of them lived happily ever after? The possibilities swarmed through his mind and Tommy became angry that he was denied the opportunity to live those lives.

"We hate to interrupt." A voice called out and Tommy found him self face to face with one of the Red Rangers that had been waiting for them, "But I believe you guys have places to be."

"And you are?"

"I'm TJ, the second Red Turbo Ranger and Blue Space Ranger." The soldier took off his helmet and held out his hand to Tommy, "You handed your powers over to me."

"Wait, I was a Red Ranger?" Tommy asked in disbelief and he could hear Jason and Rocky choking in indignation.

TJ smiled, "Twice actually."

"How many colors can one Ranger be?" Aisha muttered.

"More than one." Another voice rang out and Tommy stared down at a Blue ranger who had also taken off his helmet, "Some rangers have been two, like both TJ and Rocky have been Red, and then Blue Dr. O here holds the record here, though." He paused in thought and Tommy could see Jason was struggling to keep a straight face at the mention of "Dr. O". The Blue Ranger continued, "Let's see. You were Green, White, Red (twice), and then Black."

Jason couldn't hold back his laughter any more, "Seriously, bro! Dr. O? Four colors?"

"That we know of." The yellow Ranger, from the same team as the Blue, stepped up. "Dr. O was our mentor and Black Ranger for our team. Not to mention our science teacher"

Tommy shot Jason a death glare as the first Red Ranger's eyes began to tear up because he was laughing so hard. The Red Ranger from the team that he supposedly mentored stepped up, "He wasn't too shabby for an old guy." He paused and Tommy felt an indescribable need to smack the kid upside the head. "But I got to say; at least he had better hair when we knew him." Tommy was sure Jason was going to explode.

"I like it." Kim muttered defensively, though she instantly turned a shade of red and stepped away.

"What are your guys' names?" He demanded. If he ever ran into these kids in his world he would definitely steer clear of the one wearing red.

"I'm Ethan." The Blue Ranger motioned towards the others, "And that's Kira, Connor, and Trent." For the first time Tommy noticed a White Ranger standing just behind Kira. For some odd reason, Tommy saw himself in Trent; there was something in the young man's eyes. Maybe it was their shared color.

"Any way," TJ interrupted, "you guys are probably wondering what's different about our world compared to yours."

"It crossed my mind." Tommy replied.

"The first Power Rangers in our world (that would be you guys) never had to face this battle. Lots of things are different and I don't have time to tell you but basically there came a time—some later than others—where you all retired for good. Other than coming to Ranger Reunions, you guys lived normal lives."

The group fell silent for a moment as they wondered exactly what it meant. What had their lives been like? Tommy began to grieve for all the possibilities that may have been lost. Had he married Kat? Did he ever reconcile with Kim? How the heck did he become a science teacher?

"I know you guys probably have a lot of questions about what you could have had." Ninjor spoke solemnly, "But I ask that you remember we are here for a specific mission and those thoughts will not help you in any way. Do not dwell on what could have been and remember that your future is what you make of it."

"Ninjor is right." TJ nodded, "We really just came here because we all have our specific connections to you guys. I mean, there were a lot of Ranger teams in our times. We happen to be the ones that had some connection to at least one member of your team."

"How exactly?" Trini pressed.

"Well, I was Tommy's successor, and he mentored the Dino Thunder team." He motioned to Connor and the others, "All these Red Rangers here" he pointed to a long line of Reds, "Were on a mission with Tommy and Jason."

At the mention of that, a young man came bursting forth towards Jason, his helmet in the shape of a lion. "It's an honor to meet you again, sir." And he wiped his gloved hand on his pants nervously before he reached out to shake Jason's who stared at it oddly for a moment before tentatively shake it, "I'm Cole, Red Wild Force Ranger." Jason forced a nervous smile as Cole held on just a little too long.

TJ leaned over and whispered in Tommy and Kim's direction, "That kid does that every time he sees Jason. Sweatiest Ranger I ever met." Kim stifled a giggle.

"You said a Red Ranger Mission with Tommy and Jason. Where was Rocky?" Aisha stated indignantly.

TJ stuttered for a moment and Tommy turned to glance at Rocky, who looked hurt as he stared at the line of Red Rangers. "Well I don't know exactly, you'd have to ask Tommy."

Aisha turned towards the White Ranger and stared at him crossly. "How would I know?" Tommy raised his hands in defense, "I wasn't even there!"

"Yes you were!" she stamped her foot impatiently.

"No he wasn't". Trini replied, "Not this Tommy anyway."

"This is all a little weird."

Tommy absently nodded his head in agreement with Kim. "Sorry man, I'm sure there's an explanation."

"Probably." Rocky muttered and though he wasn't to blame, Tommy felt immense guilt.

"So why are you guys here any way?" Jason asked, clearly trying to steer the conversation to safer waters. "Did you leave your world to come here?"

"No." TJ smiled, "We're all dead."

"You sure seem happy about it." Trini stated. "Did you guys all die in battle or something."

"Not necessarily. I'll leave this for Ninjor to explain."

"Why thank you." The blue ninja seemed pleased to be remembered, "For those who accept the Power, they are forever a part of it. They are forever connected to the Morphing Grid in both life and death. When a Ranger has lived his or her life, their soul joins the grid along with that of every other Ranger."

"So it's like Ranger heaven?"

"That's a simplistic view of it, yes. Though, you are not separated from your loved ones who were never Rangers." Ninjor paused, "I am afraid that I cannot possibly describe it, some truths are meant only to be experienced."

Tommy nodded, "But if there are multiple alternate universes that contain multiple versions of me…are you saying there are like a million Tommy's here?"

Ninjor laughed, "No, you become one as you enter the grid. You revert to the original day you accepted the Power."

"Meaning no matter how many colors Tommy wears," Jason was struggling not to start laughing again, "When he joins the Morphing Grid, where will he start?"

"He'll be White." TJ answered and Ninjor nodded, "He was the Green Ranger first, but not by choice. The first time he chose to truly be his own Ranger was when he took on the White powers."

"But why? You were Red and Blue, why is one more defining than another?"

"Usually, you're only meant to be one color. But things happen, powers get destroyed. When you first touch the Grid, the color is you. After that you can connect to any other color out of necessity, but it's not quite the same."

"But there are multiple universes! What if I was only ever the Green Ranger?"

"Dude, you're thinking too hard." TJ admonished, "That's very possible, but you'd still be white. There are variances in the universes, but we've all discovered one thing is the same: our primary colors. Even if in some universe, you never became the White Ranger, it is still your color. You'll know your color; you guys saw it when you entered the Grid."

"There are exceptions to the rules." TJ spoke softly, "There are possibilities that someone never accepted the power, but had it forced upon them. Depending on the situation, that person would still be that color."

TJ pointed behind him and as everyone looked and Tommy felt a cold chill fill his body. It was the Green Ranger, the dragon dagger held loosely in his grasp. The young man did not take off his helmet as Tommy slowly approached him. He was a few inches shorter than Tommy and he appeared even smaller because his head was hanging under Tommy's gaze. "Who are you?" Tommy demanded a little too harshly.

"My name does not matter." Tommy was taken aback by the Eastern European accent, "I only came here to tell you how fortunate you are. Your friends fought for you even though you fought against them. They risked their lives to save yours. I wish mine had done the same. Please remember that and cherish your friends, every last one of them." The young man said no more and he simply vanished.

Tommy took a moment to digest what the other Green Ranger had said. What exactly had that young man experienced?

"Hey, we're tired of being ignored over here!" Another accented voice called out and Tommy turned his head towards yet another Green Ranger, though this one was wearing a cape.

Wait…a cape? Tommy silently prayed that there wasn't a universe out there where he was a part of a team that wore capes. The thought made him shudder.

"Sorry." TJ rolled his eyes, "This is Xander."

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm the Mystic Force Green Ranger. And this," he pointed to a Black Ranger, dressed in a drastically different uniform, "Is Will, Black Overdrive Ranger."

Xander turned towards the others as his eyes scanned the group, "I thought for sure Adam would be here." He shrugged his shoulders.

"How do you know Adam?"

"You see, Will's team was stuck in a bit of a sticky situation--no powers and all—and a group of us, myself and Adam included were called back to duty to help them out. He seemed so excited to be back, mentioned how much he missed it and all. I just thought it was a no brainer that he would be here."

"Well, he decided to stay behind." Rocky responded, with a hint of bitterness.

"I see." A woman's voice sang out from behind the Green Mystic Force Ranger and another Yellow Ranger appeared. She pulled off her helmet and Tommy could see she was immensely disappointed. "I'm Tanya, Yellow Zeo Ranger." She turned towards Rocky, "If Adam and I ever meet in your world, make sure it's more than a one time thing. You're his best friend after all."

Rocky nodded half-heartedly. "I'll try." He said softly.

"Is something wrong, Rocky?" Aisha asked, "You've been acting kind of strange, ever since…"

"I'm fine." Rocky replied stiffly, but the Yellow Zeo Ranger and Aisha seemed hardly convinced, the Yellow Zeo Ranger seemed to understand.

"Listen, this is great and all, but shouldn't we move on?" Tommy was starting to become just a little overwhelmed by everything.

"Dr. O is right." Conner pulled his helmet back on, "Good luck, and if you ever run into us please try and give us a chance to be Rangers."

"You changed us all for the better," Trent added as he fastened his helmet, "I'd hate to imagine that not happening to the group of us in your world."

Tommy nodded as he stared at the Dino Thunder team and his chest began to swell with affection. "I'm sure it was, and hopefully will be, an honor to fight alongside you guys."

"Power Rangers!" TJ shouted, "Fall in line!"

Tommy heard Kim sniffle and he felt a wave of pride sweep through him as the Rangers formed a line leading them forward; they all fastened their helmets and stood straight.

"Remember these Rangers and the sacrifice they are about to make!" TJ continued as Tommy and his team followed Ninjor down the line, "There is no one here who wouldn't bear that same burden if faced with their choice." There were shouts of agreement from every Ranger present and the last words Tommy heard TJ shout:

"May the Power protect you all!"

* * *

_A/N: Another chapter done! What do you guys think? I want to apologize, I had intended to get this chapter out just a couple days after chapter 5, but I was hit with sudden inspiration that required much more research. I believe that the final product tells a better story. This chapter was originally very different (even the chapter title). The original trip inside the Morphing Grid was rather nondescript and the chapter was going to be much shorter and ending with the Rangers receiving their new powers. However, it occurred to me that a trip inside the Morphing Grid was kind of a big deal and shouldn't be brushed aside. I felt like I had an opportunity to do something here (maybe not totally original, but fun none the less). So, I did a little research (since I've never seen any of the series past Zeo) to come up with this beast of a chapter. This is my favorite chapter to date because I got to do a lot of little things that will play a bigger part in this story as well as its sequel (yes, I am planning a sequel as well as a series of one shots that will bridge the two stories together). I also just got to throw some random things in there for fun. Chapter 7: A Different Shade of Ranger (and this time the title won't change) will be finished within the next two weeks, it will be relatively short and sweet, just a wrap up of what I originally intended to include in this chapter. The Rangers finally claim their new powers while Kat and the others try to keep their hopes alive. Thank you again for reading, and please let me know what you think! _


	7. A Different Shade of Ranger

Chapter 7: A Different Shade of Ranger

_Brace yourselves; it's a long one…_

* * *

Kim's cheeks were still slightly damp with tears as the six of them pressed on, following Ninjor through the paths of the Morphing Grid. Thousands of questions flitted through her brain so quickly and the mysteries of the Grid were beginning to weigh heavily on her mind. She had understood Trini's explanation of all the possible universes well enough; though it was still a difficult concept for her to completely wrap her head around. She kept wondering about her counterparts in all the different universes. A disturbing thought struck her: What if there was a universe where she had married Skull!? Her stomach lurched at the thought.

_Shake it off girl. _

Her eyes instinctively landed on the back of Tommy's head and her heart beat just a hair faster. She knew in her heart of hearts that there had to be at least one world in which she and Tommy had their happily ever after. The thought was eerily calming, because she that someday she may have a chance to join the Grid and then she could share in that happiness.

As they continued forward Kim thought about other questions this journey had raised. Meeting their fellow Rangers had left her both awed and depressed at the same time. It was a wonderful feeling to see how her team had influenced those that came after them and it was a relief to know that even after they had all moved on, being a Ranger had always seemed to connect them. Still, Kim was left with an empty feeling after she learned that Tommy, Jason and even Adam had all been called back to duty at least one time. She wondered if she had ever been asked to help out with a special mission; Kim was almost certain that if she had been she most certainly would have gone. Doubts crept through her mind though, there had been no one there to greet her specifically and she began to wonder if her worst fears had been realized. She had left the team and had never entered the circle again.

Lost in her thoughts, Kim's body suddenly hit a wall and she realized belatedly that Tommy had stopped and her face was now pressed into his back. She instinctively took a breath, noticing that he smelled just as wonderful as always, and stepped back. "Sorry." She murmured softly, avoiding eye contact. He didn't respond.

Kim took another step back and turned towards Trini, who had seen the incident. The first Yellow Ranger smiled warmly and gave her a quick, reassuring hug. Kim looked forward towards Ninjor and was ready to ask why they had stopped but the Ninja master had already begun to move again, this time veering towards the left. Deciding against saying anything they began to move again, this time Kim decided to keep a safe distance from Tommy. She cast a quick glance over her shoulder towards Aisha and Rocky.

The second Red Ranger seemed to be dwelling on thoughts of his own and Aisha was watching him with a concerned gaze. She thought back to what TJ had said earlier, Rocky had been a Red ranger and a Blue ranger. How did Rocky become the Blue Ranger? Was it when Tommy took on the color Red? And why did they change colors? If Rocky became the Blue Ranger, then what had happened to Billy? Again, questions began to bombard Kim's brain and she did her best to simply clear her mind.

She noticed that the farther they continued the quieter things became in the Grid. When they first started out it was not uncommon for whole teams of Ranger to watch them go by. More often then not the teams would simply stand at attention, though sometimes a few of the girls (mostly Pink) would giggle and wave as they walked by. Kim kept track of the colors she saw. It seemed that every team bore the three primary colors; red, yellow and blue. Sometimes it would branch out into pink with black or green, it seemed those two colors were interchangeable. She noticed a few White Rangers, a handful of violet rangers, a couple silver or gold, and though she had yet to see any orange.

At one point Rocky asked if they would run into themselves while they were in the Grid. Ninjor laughed and shook his head "Your counterparts are wise enough to stay away. Facing yourself can be confusing and a maddening experience. It is better for you that they are absent." The group had continued in silence from that point on.

It had been sometime before they had come across another being and Kim began to wonder how far the Grid expanded. She imagined that it was limitless with no specific boundaries but it had clear locations, because she knew that Ninjor was leading them to a fixed destination.

At that moment Ninjor had stopped and Kim realized they were in front of a large set of doors. They stood alone, connected to nothing but the space around them. Kim watched as Ninjor placed his hands against the wood and she noticed that doors had no handles. He began to chant words that were foreign to her ears and she watched as the doors slowly opened.

Tommy began to charge forward with Jason and Rocky practically running to get in; however, Ninjor stopped their progress. "I must warn you first." He stated softly, "These doors have not been opened in several millennia. The Maker-that is what you should refer to him as-has locked himself away in here."

"Wait," Jason spoke up, "He's still alive?"

"He's state of being does not matter here." Ninjor continued, "I do not know how he will react to this. The Morphing Grid has grown and changed since he first created it. Nothing is how he intended, though I doubt he has ever seen it. Be wary as we move forward. I will speak first for I know that I have his trust."

"Arrogant fool as always, Ninjor." A soft voice drawled from behind the doors, "Why don't you quit stalling and bring your playmates inside; the sooner you do, the sooner you can leave." There was a slight pause, "Or you could just save me the headache and go now."

Kim was taken aback by the cold tones the in the Maker's voice. She hadn't really thought about what he might have been like, but somewhere deep in her heart she had expected someone warm and wise like Zordon. She watched as Ninjor hesitated before leading them through the doors; apparently this wasn't what he had expected either.

The place they had entered reminded her much of Ninjor's temple and she guessed that this place had inspired its design. It didn't take her long to notice; however, that the air was stale and the vegetation was wilted. It was a place that needed desperate tending to and she had suspected that the Maker had neglected his home. She searched her surroundings and finally the Maker appeared before them.

He was average height, with a long graying beard and matching hair. He was had a slightly round stomach and she guessed that his appearance mattered to him just has much as his surroundings. He wore faded black robes that were dusty and slightly worn at the elbows. He glared at each of them coldly and when his eyes met hers for the briefest of moments, Kim wondered if they had made a mistake in coming to this place.

"What is it you want?" He turned to Ninjor, his refined voice contrasted with his disheveled appearance. "You are disturbing my peace."

Ignoring Ninjor's motions for him to stay back, Tommy pushed forward. "Our planet is in grave danger and we need…"

"I believe I was speaking to Ninjor." The Maker interrupted, his voice was as soft as before but there was a warning in his eyes and Tommy promptly shut his mouth. The Maker turned back towards Ninjor, "And why exactly did you bring such annoying teenagers with you?

Ninjor was clearly disturbed by the Maker's reaction to their presence, but he carefully pushed forward. "I know these young men and women well; they are valiant warriors of the planet Earth. They have used both sets of Power Coins that I had created to fight evil and protect their home and its citizens." Ninjor seemed to burst with pride.

The Maker turned towards them, clearly unimpressed, "Well if they are such noble warriors with your superior powers," he spat out the last phrase with disdain, "why did you come here to beg for my help?"

Kim didn't try to hide the fact that she was offended and she glanced over her shoulder to see that the rest of her team was just as bothered, still they remained silent and waited for Ninjor to continue.

"Their enemy has opened the gateway to the Dark realm." the Maker's eyebrows twitched in slight surprise though the rest of his face remained impassive, "It has decimated their powers. Zordon and I…"

"Zordon?" The Maker rolled his eyes, "I should have known that old windbag was involved. Using teenagers and all that." He paused and glanced back over at her and the others. Kim did her best not to waver under his harsh gaze, clearly they were going to have to try and make a strong impression for them to accomplish anything. He turned towards Ninjor. "And how exactly did these Powers you created fail?" he smirked slightly at the Ninja master, "After all, you felt it necessary to point out the flaws in my intentions and how you were going to correct them. I warned you that by using objects to channel the powers, they would become prone to destruction."

Ninjor did not falter, "The mortal body is just as prone to destruction and while you tried to temper that risk with immortality—only that was a greater risk itself. After all you cannot change the rules of death; you can only delay the inevitable. You wanted your soldiers to make a sacrifice that didn't need to be made-it was a burden that no one wanted to bear."

"Ah yes," The Maker nodded, "Heroes are so willing to die in battle, but so few are willing to live just for the fight. Tell me Ninjor, why are you here?"

Kim rolled her eyes: hadn't they already explained that? This guy was simply ridiculous.

"I've had enough." Tommy snapped and Jason stood right behind him to back the White Ranger up, "You know what we need. We don't exactly have a lot of time, so are you going to help us or not?"

The Maker narrowed his eyes at Tommy, "Typical teenager." He muttered, but he graced Tommy with an answer at least, "You need to remember your place boy. I created this Morphing Grid and I'm the only one who can give you the Powers you so desperately need. As long as you're going to force your presence upon me, you'll have to endure my curiosities with the same patience I've extended towards you and your friends."

"You may have created the bones of the Morphing Grid" Ninjor replied, "but it has grown and taken a life of its own. You can no longer call it your own."

"Fine then." The Maker snapped and his collected demeanor began to crack, "But I have sole control of the powers you seek, so you will humor me. Now answer my question Ninjor. Why are you here?"

Kim began to slump in defeat, they were going in circles. She was beginning to doubt the Maker would ever give them these powers. "We came because your powers are the only ones capable of defeating this evil."

The Maker seemed pleased with Ninjor's answer, "Oh is that so?" there was a hint of twisted pleasure in his next words, "But I thought my Powers came with flaws that you had fixed when you created your Coins?"

"Those flaws are the only thing that may save us in the face of this rare danger." Ninjor responded rather hotly, "I do not, and will not, question the choices I made when I created the Power Coins."

The Maker merely nodded and finally turned towards Kim and the others, ready to address them. "And why should the six of you be graced with these powers?"

They all deferred to Tommy, "Because we need them; because our planet needs us. We don't care about immortality and all that; we just need to save our home."

"Ah, I see. You're so desperate for any ounce of hope that you'll do anything without thinking about the consequences."

"We understand the consequences." Rocky insisted, "We just don't care."

Jason nodded alongside the second Red Ranger, "We'll do whatever it takes to save Earth."

"We're perfectly capable of dealing with the cost that comes with these powers." Kim had finally found her voice and she found it surprisingly easy not to wither under the Maker's intense gaze.

"I would simply have to disagree."

* * *

The explosion behind Kat caused her to fall forward slightly and it took her a moment to regain her bearings. Her ears continued ringing but the second Pink Ranger pressed forward anyway. Throwing kicks and punches at every corpse that headed her way, she tried to ignore the pain that raced through her body as she stretched it beyond its limits. Zedd must have thought this would be an easy victory, sending only a few dozen of his soldiers to the base. The emperor hadn't even bothered to show up himself, which was quite fortunate. Hopefully he wouldn't notice the absence of the other six. The longer their plan remained a secret the more hope they had it would succeed.

Kat managed to duck as a tentacle swung towards her face, she pushed the alien into a Tenga and the two became tangled in a mass of limbs and feathers. She didn't look back as she kept fighting the crowd of corpses. Her limbs were beginning to ache and she kept praying that Zack would show up with reinforcements soon. The suits Alpha had given them could only provide so much protection and as time wore on, Kat knew her body would give out. She ducked down low and slammed her entire body into a rather brutish looking man that reminded her of a football player. She landed on top of him but managed to roll away before he could wrap his arms around her and hold her down. She stood up again and tried to take a moment to gather her surroundings but all she saw was a flash of colors before her body twisted through the air and she landed face first in the dirt.

She could feel something wet and sticky dripping down the side of her face, but she didn't take the time to examine it. She rolled to her right just as another blow landed right where her head had been. Kat looked up and frowned when she saw the face of Rita Repulsa. "I thought I already took care of you." She muttered angrily. Kat wasn't really surprised, however, as long as Rita's corpse was still intact Zedd could surely control it.

Kat squared her shoulders and wiped her brow, probably smearing the blood across her face. She really didn't care though, not when she was going to face the woman she hated the most. All the anger and hatred Kat had once felt towards Kim while under the influence of evil was now directed at the evil witch in front of her. "Come and get me you bitch." She spat.

The Empress charged with her staff raised and Kat ran forward to meet her head on. But before the two collided, Kat was suddenly jerked to a halt and she found herself hovering in the air. The Pink Ranger looked behind her and her heart filled with fear--the alien from before had untangled himself and was now dangling her in front of Rita like bait in front of a shark.

Kat closed her eyes as the Empress swung her staff and nailed Kat in the stomach. The air left Kat's lungs but she could not refill them as the alien squeezed her tighter. Her head began to swim and she was vaguely aware that Rita was preparing to strike again. She closed her eyes and wondered how long it would take her to die.

"You know night of the living dead is not a good look for you Rita."

Oxygen rushed back into Kat's lungs and when her vision returned she found herself on her knees watching Zack fight both Rita and the alien, who was now short a tentacle. Kat hesitantly looked behind her and saw the offending limb writhing in the dirt. "That's got to be the grossest thing I've ever seen." Kat turned towards the new voice. An attractive Asian girl, probably just a bit younger than herself, stood next to her. For some odd reason, Kat found it very important to take note that the girl was dressed in pink. "I'm Cassie, by the way."

Kat smiled, but couldn't find her voice so Cassie just continued. "I knew that coming anywhere near Angel Grove was a bad idea, but what can you do?" She shrugged and Kat followed her gaze; several dozen citizens and armed military were holding back Zedd's numbers and the corpses began to retreat. "Your friend's got some talent." Cassie pointed towards Zack.

It was the first time Kat had ever really seen Zack in battle and it was truly a sight to behold. It was like a well rehearsed routine and the steps were in synch with the beat of his heart. He moved with grace and speed--his technique a cross between dancing and fighting. She could almost hear the imaginary beat that he moved in time with and wondered if it coursed through his veins. He stepped fluidly and he never missed a beat. The way he fought was beautiful, graceful, and-- he jumped high and kicked Rita square in the face--deadly. The Empress picked up her staff and retreated with the remains of the army.

Kat still couldn't find her voice as Cassie helped her to her feet and Zack embraced her tightly. "I thought I was going to lose you." He whispered softly.

She felt her eyes sting when he said that, suddenly very aware of what they were becoming. The thought was exciting and frightening at the same time. Why now, when they stood a chance at loosing everything, did she finally find something she wanted to keep?

"We should go find Adam and Billy." Kat finally spoke as Zack released her.

"We need to get you back inside and have a doctor look at you." He pointed to her forehead, "I sent help to both Adam and Billy, they'll meet us inside." He took one last look over his shoulder to make sure their battle had indeed been finished. "It's odd though…"

"What is?"

"That Zedd sent such a small number here." Zack frowned before shrugging and turning back towards the base, "Maybe I'm just being paranoid."

* * *

Jason had just about had enough! How could this guy possibly be the same person who created the Morphing Grid? The ideals the Power Rangers embraced included honor, compassion, and humility; none of which could be used to describe this man. His arrogance and complete indifference to their plight was placing the entire Earth in danger and Jason was about ready to blow. How could a man who created such powers for good could suddenly care less about the fate of those he once sought to protect?

"What has happened to you?" Ninjor voiced Jason's thoughts, "You were once such an honorable man. There was a point in time you would have lauded me for bringing you such dedicated and fiercely loyal warriors. Now the only thing you seek is affirmation that you were right." The Ninja Master shook his head in disgust, "You have locked yourself away and dwelt in despair and self-loathing. I would almost pity you, but you chose your lot in life and I can blame no one but you. Why not make things right now?"

The Maker narrowed his eyes, "I do not answer to you or anyone else for that matter."

"Well maybe you should." Rocky had been surprisingly silent during the entire journey, but Jason swelled with pride as Rocky stood tall under the Maker's glare.

"There is no one to make me boy." The Maker replied coolly, "I think it's important for you all to remember that I haven't denied your request yet."

Rocky's mouth snapped shut, but Jason placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. They couldn't let this man walk all over them. Trini, always the peacemaker, stepped forward, "Is there anything we can do to convince you to help us?"

"You can start out by shutting up and listening to me." Trini nodded solemnly and the girls bowed the heads in silent attention. Jason noted that both Tommy and Rocky mimicked his posture, hands crossed over their chests while they glared at the Maker as if saying: _We'll let you call the terms for now but if we don't like what we hear then you'll listen to us._

After a few moments of silence the Maker nodded in approval, "Much better." He began to pace in front of the six of them as Ninjor stood back to observe, though Jason that his body was tense and his hand was resting on his weapon; ready to strike. The Red Ranger suddenly wondered if the Master posed any physical threat to them. _Better be on my guard as well._

"You all came in because you are desperate." The Maker continued, "And if Ninjor speaks the truth, then you should be." He stopped and turned towards Ninjor, "For goodness sakes man I may be a bit irritated but I'm not going to kill you."

Ninjor stood down, but Jason refused to drop his guard. The Maker smiled wryly at Jason, "Not exactly trusting, are we?" he noted, "You carry yourself like a leader, but you don't always trust your teammates in the most dire of circumstances. You shoulder your burdens as well as the teams, a dangerous habit that has proven disastrous before--and yet you find old habits are hard to break." It felt like the Maker was re-opening an old wound, slowly ripping it open and waiting for it to bleed, "So, were you replaced?" There it was; Jason feared that this was where the Maker was heading. "Someone better come along." Jason's eyes instinctively darted towards Tommy the Maker's gaze followed, "Ah, I see." His smile widened, "How did that make you feel?"

"Tommy's my best friend." Jason had to defend himself, he wasn't going to let this pathetic man tear him down, "and the best leader our team has had. I trust him and I'd follow him into battle and even death."

"Tsk, tsk." The Maker shook his head with reproach, "You're not being entirely honest." Jason clenched his jaw shut; he had already had this talk with Tommy. There was nothing to be gained by repeating it over and over. The past was the past and it should stay that way. "Oh well, we'll address that soon enough."

He turned towards Rocky and his smile widened with glee, "And you're story?" he seemed to gaze at Rocky for a moment and Jason wondered, could this man read minds? "How interesting. You took his place," he pointed towards Jason, "but you could never get yourself out of his shadow." Jason noticed Rocky's confident demeanor crack slightly as the second Red Ranger's shoulders dropped ever so slightly, "Such a strong role to fill, but you never felt you measured up." he smiled wickedly, "You felt forgotten amongst your friends and you even wonder if your best friend simply feels sorry for you. Even now you wonder if he should be here instead of you."

Rocky shook his head, "I was chosen as the Red Ranger and I belong here like anyone else." His voice betrayed him and Jason wondered how such a fierce warrior could loose such confidence.

"Don't you dare listen to him Rocky." Tommy challenged, "I was always grateful to have you as my second-in-command. You are ever bit as vital to this team as Jason was and I know you belong here now."

Jason could see that Tommy's words had little effect on Rocky's confidence. "Quick to defend your friend's honor, are we?" The Maker sneered in delight, "I'll get to you soon enough."

"We don't have time for this." Aisha snapped, "People are dying!"

"I guess you're volunteering then." The Maker smiled serenely at her, "Such a bright girl; and yet you are filled with such dark thoughts: thoughts about love and friendship. You wonder if your best friend is only that because you filled a void of someone else." His eyes shifted over to Trini and Kim, "She was there first and you are just holding her spot until she returns. Your love towards another friend goes unnoticed because of your fear to act and his own self doubts." Jason saw Aisha's eyes meet Rocky's for just a moment and was surprised as her cheeks darkened ever so slightly. "You are surrounded by so many, and yet you feel so alone. You wonder if they really would notice if you're gone, so you hold on desperately to the one thing that binds you to them." He shook his head, "Such a shame."

Trini stepped forward and stood shoulder to shoulder with Aisha, "How can you say such a thing?" the first Yellow Ranger demanded, "Just what are you trying to accomplish?"

It was the question that had been repeating in Jason's head over and over again, but the Maker did not answer, "You, my dear Trini, didn't wish to come on this journey alone." Jason tried to recall ever giving this man their names. He truly must have the ability to read minds, a dangerous advantage.

"I'm surrounded by six of my friends." Trini replied calmly, "I'm not alone."

"Thank you for stating the obvious." The Maker replied dryly, "There is someone else you wanted here, though. Someone you felt belonged by your side." Trini faltered under his intense gaze, "You are now afraid because you will forever be separated by these powers. The time you spend with him will seem like merely a blink of an eye compared to the time you will spend alone after he has grown old and passed on. It was he who asked you to come here in his place, wasn't it? You believe that he pushed you away and for that you both love and hate him."

The Maker moved in front of Kimberly and his grin turned almost predatory and the first Red Ranger fought all instinct to tear the man limb from limb. He noticed that Tommy was digging his fingers into the flesh of his arms and Jason was certain that if Kim cried—which she probably would—there wasn't going to be anything left of this man to bury. "You are a very special girl." Kim took a weary step back and the Maker's grin grew wider, "Yes, you are a lesson in contradictions. You, my dear, are the very heart of your team and yet you can't even listen to your own. You lean on your friends so much that without them you are merely a shadow. You shine brightest amongst your friends, but without them you are about as bright as a rusty nail." Jason noticed Kim's eyes were brimming with tears and Tommy was coming close to drawing blood from his own arms.

"Everyone makes mistakes." Kim whispered in her own defense.

The Maker nodded in mock sympathy, "Of course they do. But your mistakes hurt not only yourself-they also hurt someone very dear to you. You damaged them and yourself beyond repair. You can never be what you were, Kimmie." Jason cringed at the use of that nickname, "So don't try. Why should anyone trust you? You ignore your heart and hurt others just to protect yourself from damage that you've already inflicted because of your own self-centered fears."

Kim fell silent and she bowed her head; Jason recognized it as an attempt to hide her tears, but the Maker had already moved on to Tommy, "Take your best shot." Tommy dared him.

"Oh I will."

* * *

Kat waited patiently as the military Doctor cleaned up the wound on her forehead. "Are you sure she's okay?" the Black Ranger demanded for the fiftieth time.

"She's perfectly fine. She doesn't even need stitches." The Doctor responded with exasperation, "I'm done here." Kat could tell that he was relieved to be out of the Zack's watchful gaze, "Thank you kids for everything you've done." He paused for a moment, "and I don't mean just today."

Kat smiled, "Just doing our jobs."

The Doctor opened his mouth for a moment before shutting it, apparently deciding against whatever he was going to say. Kat was relieved when he moved on to help tend the other wounded, some of which she felt should have been given priority over her. "You did well." Zack placed an arm around her shoulder and Kat leaned against him.

"So did you." She replied, "You got all these people to help fight."

"It really wasn't that difficult."

"Do you think we can convince more people to fight? We could really use larger numbers."

Zack thought for a moment, "I'm sure we could, maybe on a global scale. We'd just have to figure out how to communicate to such a large number of people undetected."

"Maybe Billy can come up with a plan."

Zack thought for a moment, "He's got a lot on his plate, helping Alpha with the Zords and all that." He paused and looked around. "How long has he been gone?"

Kat glanced at the clock on the wall, "He teleported to the Command Center about twenty minutes ago."

Zack nodded and glanced towards the door. "He should have been back by now. None of the people I sent out there came back."

"They have to be alright." Kat tried to push her own fear and doubts aside, "We would be under attack right now if Adam had lost."

Zack nodded, "Yeah, he must be having a hard time. I think I'll gather a few people and give him a hand."

Kat refrained from telling him that's what they should have done in the first place. "I'll go with you."

"No you won't. Just take it easy."

Kat stared at him indignantly. Why in the world would she just sit there when a dear friend was in mortal danger? "Don't even think about telling me what to do." She snapped a little too harshly, "You're parading around pretending like your ankle doesn't hurt, but I know better. Either I'm coming with you or you'll be dealing with two injured ankles."

Zack took a step back, placing his hands out in front of him, "Whoa, take it easy. I saw what you did to Tommy and I want none of that." Suddenly, Kat felt a twinge of guilt at the mention of the White Ranger and all that had gone on between them. "You do what you want. Let's just go get Adam."

The doors in the infirmary suddenly burst open and both Bulk and Skull came flying through; and for the briefest of moments, Kat's face broke into a huge grin of relief when she saw they were safe. Skull was clearly shaking and Bulk was white as a sheet as he shouted behind him, "Bring him in here Carlos!"

Everyone in the room stood up and Kat struggled to get a view at the door. She saw a young Hispanic man in green carrying someone in his arms. "He needs help!" Carlos screamed, "I don't even know if he's breathing!"

Finally someone moved and Kat was able to see everything.

She screamed as she saw Carlos set Adam's unmoving body down.

* * *

Tommy stared at the Maker, who returned his steady gaze. For a moment it was just a battle of wills, but then the Maker smirked. "You are a worthy leader of any team. You are strong and confident; you trust your teammates in battle, and you would lay down your life for your friends as well as those you have sworn to protect." Tommy braced himself for the blow, "And yet you are a coward."

Tommy felt like Kat had just punched him all over again. "I don't back down from anything." He replied, hoping the tone of his voice conveyed his strength.

The Maker was clearly unconvinced, "Oh really? Why is it then you allowed your heart to be broken? Why didn't you fight back and take what you wanted?"

Tommy fought every instinct in his body as it begged him to look at Kim, to remind himself that he had done the right thing and let her go; that the letter had been the end of it all and he could have done nothing to change her heart. He knew, though, that if he looked in her eyes he would still love her and still regret the decisions he had made to let her go and he couldn't allow himself to travel down that path. "It wasn't my place to do any such thing."

"That's a pretty weak excuse." The Maker responded, "It was your heart being broken and you had every right to fight back against the pain that was inflicted upon you. You are no longer that man you were before; you are filled with doubt and insecurities. You don't want to face the truth or fight for what you need, so you close yourself off and keep a safe distance. Tell me: how can your team follow a leader who can't even protect himself from that which can hurt him the most? How can they expect them to be true to them when you cannot even be true to yourself?"

Tommy bowed his head in defeat; he didn't want to admit that the Maker was right--and the truth hurt more than Tommy had ever wanted to acknowledge. The moment the letter came he should have teleported to Florida and knocked on Kim's door and fought for what he wanted. He should have stayed until he knew for sure it was over; until he could see with his own eyes that Kim and moved on and that he could too. Instead he hid in Angel Grove and let his feelings fester and eat away at him like poison. Tommy had denied himself a chance to heal and in the process and threatened his friendships while he was living a lie.

"Do you all want to know why I have told you these things?" The Maker broke Tommy's train of thought.

"You actually had a point?"

"Of course I did!" The Maker stamped his foot like a child, "Typical teenagers!"

Tommy felt himself smile slightly, seeing the Maker loose his edge even just a little bit was an accomplishment to be proud of.

"You all need to understand what you will be dealing with."

"That doesn't make any sense." Jason responded, "We'll be dealing with fighting bad guys until the end of time. What does anything you just said help us prepare for that? Filling us with self-doubt before the biggest battle of our lives isn't exactly the best defense strategy."

The Maker rolled his eyes, but it was Ninjor who responded, "Because you will not only be dealing with monsters and you will not spend all your days in battle." Ninjor stepped forward and stood directly in front of the six of them, "You will also have to deal with each other and even more importantly--you will have to live with yourselves."

"I knew you couldn't keep your mouth shut for that long." The Maker pushed Ninjor aside and he continued reluctantly, "However, he is correct. I have merely pointed out some of your darkest thoughts that you dwell upon in secret. Your lives will indeed be bleak if you do not face these thoughts and deal with them appropriately." He paused to place emphasis on his last point, "And you must deal with them together. There is nothing more important to a Power Ranger than his team. It is the one constant throughout the Grid."

Tommy closed his eyes and nodded in understanding.

"Good, now let us move forward."

* * *

Kat buried her face in her hands as the seconds seemed to slip by slowly. It had been two hours since they had seen Adam and she could see Zack's impatience was growing thin. Billy had returned as soon as he had heard the news, but Alpha called him back to the Command Center to help set up the infirmary there. As soon as Adam was stable they intended to bring him there. Away from the watchful eyes of the citizens of Angel Grove.

A door opened and both Kat and Zack turned in hopes of news. Kat couldn't hide her surprise when she saw Ernie standing there, along with Mr. Kaplan and Miss. Applebee. "How are you guys holding out?" Ernie reached out and shook Zack's outstretched hand. "Any news on Adam?"

Kat shook her head. "What you kids have done…I just can't… I mean…" Mr. Kaplan struggled to find the words for a moment, "You have all been such wonderful students and role models. You were always so involved, helping your classmates and your community. And then to add to it all you spent your free time saving the world!" He shook his head in disbelief before continuing on, "How you kids could do such things and still stay so grounded is beyond me. You all are such wonderful human beings!"

Kat smiled and reached out to hug Mrs. Applebee, who had started crying as Mr. Kaplan praised his former students. "We had wonderful teachers who taught us many important lessons." Kat responded as she patted Mrs. Applebee's back.

Ernie smiled wistfully, "I always wondered if it was you guys. The way you guys would huddle together and then suddenly run out in a big hurry. I always used to joke that it was like you guys had to go save the world, I just didn't realize how right I was."

They all sat in silence for a moment and Kat listened to the ticks of the clock as time continued to press on. Kat saw Ernie begin to fidget as the silence continued, he spent his days surrounded by the noises of the Youth Center and so the quiet that permeated the room now must be gnawing at him. Finally, he broke the silence. "So where are they others? Did they go to defend Washington D.C.?"

Kat saw Zack stiffen and she shook her head slowly, "Nothing's happening in Washington D.C." She wasn't sure who she was trying to convince.

"Oh." Ernie responded, "Well, right before Zack showed up and delivered that inspiring speech, we were listening to the radio these guys have and they said something about D.C. being under attack." He shrugged his shoulders, "Could have heard wrong I guess."

Kat tried not to show any signs of concern, but she caught Zack's eye and she knew Ernie had heard correctly. It all made sense now. Zedd had never really cared about the base or who was inside; he simply knew that because it housed Angel Grove's surviving citizens, it would draw out the Rangers and keep them oblivious to everything else. It was why he only sent a handful of his soldiers to fight the battle; he needed the rest of his warriors to continue his war.

"I knew something was up!" Zack shouted as he slammed his fist into the wall. "I knew it was too easy!"

Kat reached out for him but he stepped away from her grasp. "We had no idea, Zack."

Ernie and the others watched with intense discomfort as Zack continued to rage, "Why didn't Zordon tell us! He should have called us back right away and sent us to D.C.!"

He raised his wrist to his face and Kat had to pull his hand away before he could contact Zordon, "What would we have done, Zack?" she tried to reason; "We were in battle! We wouldn't have left these guys to fend for themselves!"

Zack shook his head, "Fine, but what about after? It's been hours since we stopped fighting, he should have told us right away!"

"But Adam…"

"That doesn't matter!" Zack screamed, "There's nothing we can do for him anyway, we're just sitting here on our butts waiting for the world to end! You know why Zordon didn't send us?" Kat shook her head, "Because it was too late!"

Kat fought back tears as she reached out and embraced the Black Ranger; she knew he was probably right. Zedd probably made quick work of D.C., so instead of worrying them more, Zordon sought to protect them by keeping them ignorant. He knew that even with Adam, they stood very little chance of stopping Zedd from doing anything until the others returned.

"You may be right." Kat whispered softly.

Zack shook his head and Kat held firm. "Why are we doing this then? What are we even fighting for?"

Kat pulled away and placed her hands on both sides of Zack's face, forcing him to look directly into her eyes, "We're fighting to keep hope alive." She paused and leaned in closer, they were just a breath apart. "We're fighting for _our_ future."

* * *

Tommy straightened his shoulders as everyone stood as the Maker directed. "Are you ready?"

Tommy nodded once, "Ready as we can be."

The Maker shook his head, "That truly instills confidence." He turned towards Ninjor, "I ask that you do your best to stay silent through these proceedings, your input will not be needed." Tommy still felt a slight amount of irritation towards how the Maker treated Ninjor; after all, Ninjor had shown an immense dedication and loyalty towards the Maker's purpose.

The Maker turned back towards the six of them, "This will not be a simple matter--determining which of you gets matched with which power. You all bear some connection to each element, though some may share a stronger connection to one more than the others."

Tommy's mind began to race—which power would be his? The leader of the team drew powers from the heavens, would that be his? Or would his time as leader come to an end? The thought saddened the White Ranger to some degree, but in his heart he knew that anyone here would be a valiant team leader that he could trust in battle. His eyes wandered over to Kim and he knew that even though she was worthy of taking up the mantle as team leader, his own selfish heart would resent her even more. He closed his eyes and drew in a breath; how could he possibly hope to heal if he couldn't let go of his anger and forgive Kim? She had done everything in her power to make him understand why she had done what she did and though she had made her mistakes, he knew that her intent had been anything but malicious. What they had once shared may have been forever lost; he just needed to accept that he could live a full life without sharing it fully with her. To do that, he needed to heal the wounds so that they no longer consumed him.

"Tommy I don't think I have your entire attention." The Maker reprimanded and the White Ranger's eyes snapped open and he straightened his posture. The Maker took a moment to look him over once, "Much better. Now as I was saying," he continued, "Some of you will be very simple to sort out, while others not so much."

"How do we do that?"

"The choice will belong to the six of you." The Maker smiled ruefully, "I ask that you listen to the qualities each power possesses to aid in your decisions. Do you agree? Otherwise I can simply give each of you a power, but I have always believed in free will."

Tommy nodded and the others agreed. It was a relief almost to know that this was their decision to make, Tommy could deal with the consequences of his own choices better than any forced upon him.

The Maker stood before a fountain and dipped his fingers in the water, sending tiny ripples through its clear surface. "There is Water: Quiet and serene in times of peace, but when storm brews it can be deadly and dangerous. It is power for those who prefer peace and only battle in times of need." He moved away from the fountain and stood before a mighty tree, "Then there is Earth: A powerful and mighty force to be reckoned with; its power is as majestic as the tallest mountains and as quiet as the whisper of the trees. It is power for someone with strength of heart and mind, someone with intense loyalty."

Tommy paused to absorb these words, and to whom they could apply to. He quickly matched the attributes to his teammates, as well as himself, and saw why the Maker said this would be a difficult task.

The Maker had looked up into the sky and continued, "Next is Air: As gentle summer's day breeze or as dangerous as a mighty storm. It is a lively power that is both graceful and deadly as it takes flight." The Maker pointed to a bright star as he moved forward, "Then there is light: Bright and dynamic, it is a power that causes fear to those who dwell in the dark. It is a power for someone who can simply shine by being themselves and loving those around them."

A burst of flame from the center of the temple startled Tommy. "Fire: Intense, fierce, and passionate for it's cause. It can be a deadly and destructive force, just as the one who wields it must be. However, he who controls fire must know how to control himself, for he can be rash and sometimes forgets the value of camaraderie."

The flames died down and for a moment, they all sat in silence. Tommy could feel his heart beat with anticipation for the Maker to continue. He could feel they were edging closer to what they came for and the anticipation of feeling the Power pulse through his veins once more was overwhelming. He couldn't help himself, "And, what about the last power?" He sounded like an eager child and he half expected to be scolded, but the Maker made no sign that he had heard.

"Last there is the leader; who shall control the powers of the heavens. The heavens are set above everything, watching and protecting. It is a power of justice and honor, ideals its master wears proudly. Whoever takes this power is one who can rally his team, join their forces even in the direst of times. He fights with honor, dignity, and above all else, he fights only to protect others. He carries his team on his shoulders and their burdens become his, for he stands with his team, not above them as some leaders choose to do. He expects no accolades for his accomplishments because he alone can never be victorious-he knows he is no leader without his team."

The Maker turned and faced them all, "Now you must make your decisions. How you choose to do so is up to the six of you. Think wisely, though, because once the decision has been made it cannot be undone. An eternity is a long time to live with a mistake that cannot be corrected."

Tommy motioned for the others to gather around him and both the Maker and Ninjor politely stepped back. "First things first," Tommy had decided this was the best course of action, "I don't want anyone to volunteer me to be leader just because I have been. This is a clean slate and let's takes advantage of it." He paused, "Don't be afraid to speak up for yourself, if you feel you're up to the task, say so. Then we'll vote."

Jason shook his head, "Quit being so humble." He laughed, "Yeah, I can do it, we all know that." He turned towards Rocky, "And he'd be an awesome leader; too." The second Red Ranger smiled at that, "But come on; what the Maker just said about those powers-they fit you to a T."

Tommy felt a slight blush hit his cheeks as everyone nodded in agreement, Rocky stepped forward, "Lots of things have been changing since this whole mess started and it would be nice to have something remain constant."

Tommy scanned the faces of the others, "Does everyone feel this way." And they all responded with enthusiastic affirmations, "Fine then, let's go down the list: Water."

There wasn't a moment's hesitation as both Kim and Jason replied in unison, "Trini."

The first Yellow Ranger smiled slightly. "I have to admit," She replied, "That when he spoke about water, I felt like he was describing me." She paused and continued carefully, "That would probably make me the Blue Ranger." Something flashed in her eyes before she nodded, "I'll do it."

"Good." Tommy decided to continue to another power he thought would be easy to place. "Air." He waited to see if anyone would react and he noticed Jason's eyes travel towards Kim and the Red Ranger shared Tommy's thoughts. Tommy had hoped someone else would speak up, but Jason was obviously manipulating the situation so Tommy would have to speak to Kim. He admitted defeat, "I think that should go to Kim."

He forced himself to look directly at her as he spoke her name, he needed to stop being afraid of her and start being comfortable around her once more. Something sparkled in her slight smile as he continued, "All of her Zords have been birds, her animal spirit is the crane, and she can practically fly on her own accord. She's in the air so much; it's hard to think of anyone better to control it."

Her smile grew slightly and Tommy reprimanded his heart for beating faster, "Thanks." She whispered softly, "I agree with you."

Everyone else agreed and Tommy pushed forward and things weren't going to be so cut and dry. "Fire, Light, and Earth." He murmured to himself, "Any ideas?"

Trini glanced towards Rocky and Jason, "Start with Fire." She suggested, "Once you sort that out, I think the others will fall in line."

Aisha stepped forward, "I don't want to be considered for Fire; that belongs to one of those two." Tommy could not have agreed more.

Jason stepped forward, "Rocky should be fire. I've seen it in him, this intense fire that ignites him as he fights."

Rocky shook his head, "I appreciate the vote man and I think I could do it, but everyone here knows that the Maker gave an exact description of you he talked about Fire." He paused, "I really do appreciate your faith in me though."

Tommy smiled as Jason hesitated for just a second before agreeing to take the power of Fire.

"So that leaves Light and Earth."

Rocky and Aisha simply stared at each other and they seemed to throw around empty words, each offering to let the other have their choice. "Since you both are two busy flirting to make any decision, I guess I'll do it." He paused when Kim giggled and both Rocky and Aisha turned new shades of red, "Rocky; you've been extremely loyal to your friends. You are strong, powerful, and even though you may not always appear to take things seriously, I know that you are an unstoppable warrior--I think you should take Earth. Aisha, you are everything that describes Light. You're outgoing and warm attitude really do carry a bright light with them." The two nodded in affirmation.

"Is it settled then?" The Maker called out.

"Yes."

"Then let us finish. Please close your eyes and tune out all that surrounds you. Turn your ears into yourself and listen to the beat of your heart. Now imagine your body being filled with your power. Listen to the waves of the sea, feel the rush of the wind. Let your veins quake as the earth would, see the light flow through your being and let your blood burn with fire." Though his eyes were closed, Tommy could sense the Maker standing right in front of him. "Imagine yourself protecting all that you love. Tell your heart to beat with honor and humility and allow yourself to feel the hearts that beat within each of your teammates."

Tommy did exactly as he was told and he was filled with warmth. He could feel the others as though they were all one and the same. He was a part of them and for the briefest of moments he could tell when each of them connected to their power. Finally, he felt like he was in the heavens and he was embraced by a white light.

* * *

The gentle hum of the respirator and the constant beeping of the heart monitor were all that gave Kat hope. She sat alone in the infirmary while Zack had chosen to stay outside the Command Center; his resentment towards Zordon had hardly ebbed in the last 24 hours since they brought Adam back. She had spoken to the first Black Ranger once, but he had spurned her in need of solitude. She knew he would come back when he was ready, but for now there was much to be angry about.

Not only had Washington D.C. undergone attack; capitals across the globe, including London, Paris, and Hong Kong and been entirely wiped off the map. Zordon had known and chosen to stay silent. Kat could no longer place all her faith and trust in their mentor and that thought shook her to the very core. How could he have done such an act; placing their lives ahead of those he had once recruited them to protect? He had finally proven that he was just as prone to the mistakes of humanity as the rest of them.

There may have been a time when the thought of a more human Zordon would have delighted her, now it scared her to no end. They had to save the planet and if they had to sacrifice themselves along the way, so be it. The fact that Zordon would interfere for such selfish reasons was dangerous.

Kat looked up at Adam and tried to quell her anger. He was covered in bruises, the greatest around his neck where he had been strangled. The loss of oxygen caused severe brain damage and Alpha had done his best to create a healing connection to the Grid. Still, only a weak connection could be made and Billy had said that if Adam didn't wake soon, he probably never would.

The Pink Ranger wiped the tears from her eyes and stood up with renewed determination. She would not just sit idly by while the world burned to the ground. She would do something-anything-to save it. She gave Adam a quick peck on the cheek and waited just a moment, hoping for something to happen.

Nothing did.

Sighing, she turned back towards the main chamber and found Billy with Alpha. "Any sign of them?" she pointed towards Tommy and the others, who had stayed just as they were the day before.

"Negative." Billy responded sadly. "Until I have affirmation that they have achieved their goals, there is little we can do with the Zords. Alpha and I have the details ready and are fully prepared when the time comes."

Kat nodded and glanced towards the outer doors, "Any word from Zack."

The Blue Ranger gave her a knowing look, "He'll be all right--he just needs time to cool off." He lowered his voice, "We all must deal with our anger in some way."

"What have you done?"

Billy's eyes lit up, "I've been creating weapons for us to use in battle. Something to help us gain more ground when we are outnumbered-and with Adam down, that will be often." He nodded towards Alpha, who shuffled behind a console and pulled out a few objects. "I used the original Power weapons as a sort of inspiration. Zack was most proficient with the Power Axe, so I hope this one will suffice."

"I'm sure it will."

"I'll carry this lance." He raised his weapon, "and I would have given this sword to Adam, but that is not an option so I will carry it for the time being."

"And what about me?" Kat whispered in anticipation.

"I've got two weapons for you: A bow and arrows for long distance, and daggers for face to face confrontations." Kat picked up the daggers and twirled them carefully between her fingers. The bow and arrows made her nervous; she would definitely have to practice.

"I would also like to build shields for us all, but I'm afraid our time may be limited."

Kat opened her mouth to offer her help, but the doors from outside burst open and Zack came charging in, a wild and frightened look in his eye. "They're attacking Los Angeles right now." He managed to spit out between breaths, "I just heard it on the radio I took from the base."

"You stole a radio from the base?" Kat cried incredulously.

"Well, I couldn't trust Zordon to tell us anything!" Kat could hardly fault Zack's decision; in fact she knew that he had done the right thing.

"I understand your resentment towards me, Zachary." Zordon materialized above them, "but please do not hate me for making the choice that I did, though I know it was the wrong one."

"You once asked us to step up and protect this planet." Zack glared up at their mentor with disgust, "You asked us to make a sacrifice and we said yes. No one can go back now, not even you."

Zordon remained silent.

"We're going to L.A. to fight." Zack decided, "You don't get to make that decision."

Billy turned towards the console and began to program the coordinates for Los Angeles, Alpha reluctantly began to help. Kat watched Zordon warily as she waited, she couldn't trust him not to interfere. He could call them back at a moment's notice. He had the power to force them to stand by while Zedd destroyed their planet. "Zordon," she pleaded, "You have to understand that we need to do this. Please, let us do what we chose to do--what you asked us to do."

"That is what makes it so difficult Katherine. I placed this burden upon you all."

"And we chose to bear it."

Zordon sat in silence and she knew he would say no more.

Billy quickly handed out his weapons and for a moment, Zack was distracted while he examined his axe. There was a look of nostalgia across his features before his face hardened, "Send the others to join us if they get back."

Kat discarded her bow, knowing it would do little good without practice. She didn't spare Zordon a second glance as they teleported to their next battle.

* * *

For a few moments, Kim felt like she was soaring through the sky. The wind rushed around her ears and through her entire being as if she was one and the same with the air around her. She could feel the Power embracing her once again and for the first time since she left Angel Grove, Kim felt she was on the path to being whole again.

Her feet seemed to hit solid ground again and she opened her eyes and found that she was now looking from behind a helmet. Her new suit felt like a second skin; as if it was an extension of her very being. She took a deep breath before removing her helmet to further inspect their new powers. She turned her eyes towards her teammates before she looked at herself.

It was little surprise to see Jason once again donning a deep, fire Red, but Kim thought seeing Rocky in a dark forest green would take some getting used to. Aisha looked as fantastic as ever in a bright shade of yellow while Trini wore the same blue that Billy once wore. Their suits were solid color with a gold circle in the center of their chests; the circle bore an emblem that represented their elements. Their gloves were much like Tommy had once worn as the White Ranger, trimmed with gold and black and their boots matched perfectly. Their helmets were solid color with gold face plates and above their visors was another gold circle with their emblem. Their belts were gold and black, but rather nondescript.

"This skirt is going to take some getting used to." Aisha noted.

"Well, at least this time they'll know I'm a girl." Trini responded wryly, "When we first started, everyone thought I was just a skinny guy."

Jason sniggered. "You're kidding!" Aisha asked in disbelief, "I never had that problem."

"Well, you've got curves." Trini pointed out.

Kim about burst into laughter and the farther the conversation went, the more it appeared Rocky's head might just explode as he suddenly couldn't keep his eyes off her form. Kim turned towards Tommy and her smile widened just slightly when she saw he was still wearing White. He donned a golden chest plate similar to what he wore with the White Tiger powers; his emblem was emblazed upon his chest in black and gold. She caught his eyes and was surprised to see him staring at her with a mixture of shock and fascination.

She finally took time to look at herself and she dropped her helmet in disbelief. She wore a dark shade of royal purple, not the bright pink that she had grown so accustomed to wearing. She felt a mixture of sadness and relief; she truly felt as if she was moving towards the future, not back into the past. It made her feel slightly grown up, though it might be a bigger step out of her comfort zone than she had anticipated. The look Tommy was giving her—as if he was seeing her for the first time—didn't help matters much.

"Guess I'll have to go shopping." Kim tried to lighten the mood and did well to hide the surprise in her own voice. Tommy smiled wistfully at that and Kim felt herself relax; she had missed that smile so much and it made her feel good to see that she had been the cause.

"Hey, let's quit wasting time." Rocky cut in, "How do these powers work?"

The Maker shook his head, "There is little I can tell you, and you must discover that on your own."

Kim frowned, "But how do we call on them?"

"That is up to you." The Maker paused and his face softened ever so slightly, "I should warn you that these powers are not yet at full strength. They will take time to awaken within each of you. I have let them lie dormant for too long, please do not overexert yourselves for they may give out at inconvenient times." Kim felt her stomach tie in knots, "Hold faith however, in time you and these powers will be a force to be reckoned with." He took a moment and closed his eyes, "With these powers comes a long, everlasting life—you will travel down a long road that can only end when evil has met its ultimate demise, or you must sacrifice yourselves in battle. Know that either way, the Grid will at last welcome you into peace."

Kim smiled at that. Tommy stepped towards Ninjor, "Let's hurry and get moving."

"There will be no need to travel back the way we came. As long as the Maker allows it, you can morph and leave through here."

The Maker looked reluctant to agree, but nodded once in affirmation.

"What will you do?" Kim couldn't help but ask the man, "Will you stay here alone?"

The Maker shrugged his shoulders, "It is all I know."

Kim wanted to argue, to tell him that there was so much out there in the Grid just waiting for him-but Tommy stepped forward. "Let's do this then. How do you guys want to call the powers?"

Jason smirked, "Why break with tradition?"

Tommy's smile widened, "I see no reason. Let's do it…all together!"

Everyone smiled and Kim felt her heart beat with an excitement she hadn't felt in ages. They all gathered around Tommy and waited for his signal. Kim was nearly in tears as the words passed through her lips, in unison with her teammates.

"It's Morphin Time!"

* * *

_A/N: That was a long chapter…originally it had been two chapters-one featuring just the new team receiving their powers and the second focusing on Kat and the others left behind. I realized that by merging the two chapters, the reader may get a better sense of how time is passing in the Grid. But finally, they got their powers! I deliberated for ages on who would be in the team (because I love every character) and who would get which powers. Some were easier than others, but I hope my decisions make sense. _

_What did everyone think of the Maker? I didn't want the Rangers to meet another Zordon or Ninjor, so I wanted someone who was kind of the opposite of them. I pictured the Maker as someone much like Zordon when he first set out and created the grid, but he became disillusioned with the failure to create his team, so he locked himself away and wallowed in bitterness and loneliness. Speaking of Zordon, what do you think of his character here? I like it when characters like him show a bit more humanity and make a few mistakes based out of emotion and love_

_What do you think of all the cameos (and there are more to com)e from Cassie and Carlos? I don't intend any of the Turbo team to play a part in this story, but I figured that by this time they would be hanging around Angel Grove and they should at least make a brief appearance. I also intend to bring back some minor characters from early on in the series in the upcoming chapters. I also used this chapter to set up some themes that will take place in the series of vignettes I plan to write after this. I plan to use this not only as a bridge between this story and its sequel, but also as an opportunity to explore exactly what all the other characters are going through (since we only get to see Kat, Kim, Jason, and Tommy's POV): Just some things to look forward too. As always, let me know what you think. I appreciate all the feedback I've been getting, they really inspire me and they provide assurance that the story is unfolding as I intended. Thanks! _


	8. A Battle of Global Proportions

Part 8: A Battle of Global Proportions

* * *

As soon as they landed Kat, Billy and Zack agreed it was best to split up and try to evacuate rather than fight. They were too few and Los Angeles was too large; they couldn't win this battle on their own. They sent their weapons back to the Command Center, telling Alpha to teleport them immediately if called upon. "You guys be careful." Kat smiled at Zack and Billy as they started to part ways. Unfortunately for them, even the best laid plans can go astray.

They had landed right in the middle of the action and none of them could get far before they were forced to engage in the fighting. Kat took some relief in noticing that they had at least been able to draw the attention of the enemy away from the citizens who had started to flee. Kat took a solid kick into the gut, but she managed to counter a second attempt to knock her off her feet. "Nice try." She playfully teased before she placed a well aimed punch into the alien woman's face. "This certainly gets easier." She commented to Billy, who happened to flip right behind her and knock out a young man dressed in what once must have been an extremely expensive suit. "I never thought I'd be much of a fighter."

"I shared your exact sentiments after I first received the Blue Ranger powers." They both ducked and rolled to dodge a blast from a rather furry alien. "But when you have friends like ours they certainly can teach you a few things," he paused, "including self-confidence."

Kat nodded in understanding and the two separated. She raced closer to Zack and the two shared a quick glance before they went to work. "Should I be jealous?" he teased as he nodded in Billy's direction.

The Pink Ranger smiled as she grabbed Zack's outstretched hand, "Of him? That was just office chatter." He smiled wide and twirled her into his arms and the two fought alongside, like an intimate dance. "You are such a gentleman." She smiled as he dipped her and ducking below a rather frightening looking blade.

"I aim to please." He grinned and let go of her hands, instead grabbing her waist and turning her around, "Ready?"

She nodded and in the next second he had thrown her into the air and she gracefully twirled through the air. She stretched out her leg and managed to catch another Tenga off guard, sending it sprawling into the asphalt. She landed with ease and Zack stopped fighting for a moment to clap politely as she curtsied. The laughter died on her lips as an explosion rocked one of the buildings a few blocks behind them and she was forced to remember the gravity of the situation. They were accomplishing nothing as the enemy was starting to turn back on the citizens as they realized that three former Power Rangers were hardly a true threat.

Wiping the smile on her face, she charged forward and pulled a snake-like creature off of a young man about her age. He looked up at her once and she saw a spark of recognition in is eyes, "You're a Power Ranger!" he cried out loudly.

"I suppose I was."

He shook his head and caught a glimpse of Billy and Zack. "So if you have no powers, why are you still fighting?"

She kicked another alien that had charged towards them and she responded, "Because when we accepted the Powers we agreed to defend this planet and its citizens from the forces of evil." She noticed that several others and stopped to listen to her and a few even helped fend off the enemy, "Powers or not, we won't forget the oaths that we took."

He stared at her for a moment before nodding once, "That's reason enough for me." And he jumped into the fray and Kat stood in awe for a moment as other citizens joined him. Several of those running by stopped to join in and their numbers began to grow exponentially.

Zack and Billy were delighted by the help they were getting and they all started to move forward--the farther they went, the larger their numbers grew. People were shouting about the Power Rangers and people were rallying to fight alongside of them. Kat felt her heart swell with hope; if they could build a resistance like this on a global scale, then the Earth stood a chance!

"Zack!" a voice called out and Kat followed the Black Ranger's eyes towards two young men rushing towards them, "I knew that was you!" he laughed as the two reached them.

Zack smiled warmly and embraced the first man. "It's good to see you Curtis!" He turned and shook the other man's hand, "You too Richie!"

Curtis and Richie shared similar greetings with Billy and Zack quickly introduced them to Kat. "Wish we had more time for proper introductions, but it looks like you guys have your hands full." Curtis grinned eagerly, a smile that looked very much like Zack's, "How about we give you guys a hand?"

"Yeah, we have some experience in the Putty department!" Richie added and Zack laughed and Kat could tell her was remembering a past event he must have shared with those two.

"Go right ahead, the more the merrier."

They continued to push Zedd's army back and more and more people came and joined them. "Keep fighting!" Kat cried out as she saw some people growing weary, "We're winning!" She saw hope spring back into the eyes of those around her and they charged forward with enthusiasm.

"Oh, you're hardly winning."

Kat stopped dead in her tracks. Zedd stood right in front of them and his army began to regroup behind the Emperor of Evil. "I thought I would drop by and see what was taking so long, the rest of my army has already made quick work of Moscow and Dallas." Kat felt like history was repeating itself and she glanced over at Zack who, alongside Billy, wore a look of pure fury. "Tell me, where are the rest of your little friends?"

They remained silent but Zedd didn't seem all that interested in an answer. He raised his staff, sending blasts in all directions. Kat braced herself for impact and managed to stay on her feet while some of those behind her were thrown back. She glanced over at Zack and Billy and they all nodded in unison. Zack turned towards Curtis and Richie, "I want you two to lead the others and take care of Zedd's goons." He directed, "Leave Zedd to us professionals."

"How very amusing." Zedd threw back his head and laughed, "Yes, come and get me if you can." He beckoned for them.

Kat followed Zack and they were immediately surrounded by Zedd's army, but Kat kept her eye on Zedd and saw that he simply stood aside and waited for someone to come to him. She caught Zack's eye and decided to take a lesson from his book. She stepped back and allowed a graceful tune to drift through her, she let its beat guide her and she began to step through the large number of enemies gracefully, staying light on her feet. She was able to easily dodge attacks and she moved forward, noting that Zack was doing something similar--though his 'music' was clearly more upbeat. Billy tried for a simpler tactic, performing simultaneous handsprings through the crowd. Kat stopped when they all came face to face with Zedd.

"How impressive." He snarled sarcastically before whipping his staff around and smashing them all across the chests.

Kat was sent sprawling back a few feet and she paused to make sure Zack and Billy were alright before she returned to her feet. Zack was a bit faster than her and he engaged Zedd in hand to hand combat—having called for is axe—and managed to knock his staff away. Billy had gone to reach for it but the staff protected itself and sent him back again. Kat tried to find an opening to help Zack, but the Black Ranger and Lord Zedd were moving too quickly.

"NO!" Richie cried from behind and Kat and Zack both turned just in time to see Curtis fall to his knees, blood seeping from a large wound on his chest. He hit the ground with a horrible finality and Kat could do nothing but stare as the pool of blood around him continued to grow.

"CURITIS!" Zack's scream tore through Kat like a knife and she watched the scene unfold in slow motion.

Zack forgot about Zedd and started to run towards his cousin. Zedd was ready to take advantage of the situation as his staff leapt back into his hands and he aimed the pointed end at the Black Ranger; prepared to pierce his heart. Kat tried to cry out, but her heart was lodged in her throat and her legs were too heavy to move.

It took Kat a few moments to realize the evil emperor had been sent flying back as her eyes stayed on Zack, who had yet to notice that he had been seconds away from death. She watched as Zedd stood and pulled an arrow from his left shoulder. There was hardly any time to react as another arrow pierced his right leg. This time Kat's eyes drifted towards the direction the arrow had come from and her heart stopped for a moment as she saw three Rangers above them, a Purple Ranger pulling the string back and preparing another shot. She could tell by the Ranger's height that it was Kim; the bow she was holding was the one Kat had chosen to leave behind. It was quite fortunate that she had done so.

The Purple Ranger fired her third shot while the other two--White and Green--jumped from the building. Zedd, having regained his bearings, managed to deflect the third arrow with his staff and sending a blast towards Kim. Kat stood and watched in awe as Kim gracefully jumped out of the blasts trajectory; she twisted gracefully through the air and landed softly on the ground next to the other two Rangers. Kat took a moment to appraise the other two, the White Ranger was obviously Tommy and she was pretty sure Rocky donned the green uniform. "Welcome back." Billy cried out and the crowd around them roared to life.

The three nodded and without saying word, they charged towards Zedd. "It's impossible!" He shouted as he blocked one of Tommy's kicks, "You have no powers!"

The White Ranger laughed, "We're Power Rangers, we'll always have Powers."

"We'll see about that." Zedd managed to grab Kim by the arm and twisted her in his grasp**. **Kat cried out as she watched Zedd try and strip her powers like he had before, but the Purple Ranger seemed unaffected. Kim stood still for a moment before she lashed out and pushed off Zedd.

"Nice try." She teased as she flipped away from him.

"Guess your old trick didn't work this time." Rocky managed to catch Zedd off guard and placed a hard punch to his jaw.

Kat was suddenly aware that she was staring, so she charged forward and joined Billy as they fought alongside the others. "Where are Jason and the others?" Billy asked.

"They went to Switzerland." Tommy replied as he blocked Zedd's staff, "Geneva is under attack and since they know the territory, I thought it best that Jason and Trini take Aisha and help out there. Ninjor is taking care of another small battle in Omaha."

"Well at least Zordon isn't preventing us from doing our jobs." Billy commented bitterly and Kat nodded in agreement.

"What do you mean?" Kim ducked and Kat called for her daggers, using one to counter Zedd's strike and hitting him across the stomach with the second. Billy took the opportunity to use his lance to knock Zedd off is feet.

"We'll explain later." Kat responded and they all watched as Zedd backed away, his entire body shaking with anger and the ground cracked from the heat coming from his body.

"This is hardly over." He snarled before he, and his army, vanished.

Kat could hardly collect her thoughts before the five of them were surrounded by cheering citizens. There were cries of "thank you" and "that was awesome" coming from the crowd.

Kat smiled as Tommy raised his arms to silence the crowd, "We need to thank each of you. What was really awesome was seeing all of you helping us." The crowd quieted and listened, "We're going to need all the help we can get in the future. This war isn't over yet, but with your help it will be soon! Spread the word that the Power Rangers are back!" The masses cheered, "You guys laid your lives on the line and we can't thank you enough."

Kat's smile faded at Tommy's last words and she turned back to were Curtis had fallen; his body now being cradled by Zack. The others followed her gaze and she heard Kim's gasp and Tommy's moan of anguish. Kat slowly walked towards Zack and knelt next to him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. He did not respond, but simply continued to sob as he held his cousin.

The Rangers pulled off their helmets and they stood in silence and grief. Rocky began to look around frantically as he realized someone was missing, "Where's Adam?"

* * *

Jason hadn't realized until now just how much he had missed being a Power Ranger. He stood just slightly in front of Aisha and Trini; all three of them at the head of a large crowd of citizens ready to charge at Zedd's army. He felt the power rushing through his entire being and he wondered what could have ever made him give this up? He turned to his right and nodded once at Trini, who in turn shouted to those behind her, translating their plans in multiple languages so that everyone understood.

The roar of excitement from those behind him was enough and the Red Ranger led the charge. Jason flipped above the masses of Zedd's armies and separated himself from Trini and Aisha, choosing to fight alone. He took moments to make sure the girls were alright. He knew Trini to be a capable fighter, but he had no real idea of Aisha's abilities. Doubt crept through his mind and he found himself constantly checking to see if the Yellow Ranger was holding her ground.

It took one moment of distraction to send the Red Ranger flying through the air. He stood up instantly and shook his head as Trini started towards him, "I don't need any help." He shouted towards the Blue Ranger, who hesitated for a moment before turning away.

Jason stared down his new opponent and he felt his Power spike along with his hatred. Jason almost wished Goldar was still living, just so he would have a real chance at finally defeating the monster that had taken every opportunity to destroy him in every possible way. Jason slid into a defensive posture; he would simply have to settle for this. The armor-clad simian charged towards the Red Ranger, swinging his sword as he came.

Jason locked himself in a furious battle with Goldar and the Red Ranger let his rage fuel him. Lord Zedd and Rita's first hand man was the representation of everything that had gone wrong for Jason as the first Red Ranger. He was the embodiment of all Jason's failures; the loss of the Green Ranger Powers, the near death of his best friend as a result, his demotion to second in command. Jason went down the list, punching Goldar with each self-loathing thought.

Jason stumbled for a moment as a slight wave of dizziness ran through him. That one second was all Goldar needed to gain the upper hand. Jason reached out to punch him, but Goldar grabbed the Red Ranger's hand and Jason was frozen into place; an odd sense of Déjà vu sweeping over him as he recalled the time he struggled with Goldar for his Morpher in the Dark Dimension. History was repeating itself as Goldar hauled Jason up by his throat and pinned him against a nearby building.

_Understand one thing, you pathetic little human: I could finish you off any time I choose._

His limbs went stiff as the words Goldar had once taunted him with flitted through his brain. It was the moment that Jason had faced death and he had been utterly terrified. It was the start of a downward spiral of fear and self deprecation. It was in that single moment that Jason had considered giving up, but the thought of his friends needing him kept him going. His last minute rescue had quelled his fears temporarily and Jason had thought that freeing Tommy from Rita's spell had lifted all his self-doubt.

Unfortunately, things kept building and then came to a head when things should have been set right. Tommy's return as the White Ranger should have turned things around for Jason, instead he was delivered a low blow as Tommy was made leader and no one thought anything of it. Jason remembered the relief he felt when he had been offered the chance to attend the Peace Conference. If Jason had been given the opportunity to leave before then he would have refused to leave the Power Rangers, but instead he fled to Switzerland to hide from his failures.

And now he was forced to face them.

He allowed his rage to boil over and his power seemed to burn in his veins. His arm shot forward on their own accord and flames burst forth from Jason's outstretched hand. Jason watched with mild surprise as Goldar was sent flying back. The Red Ranger charged and Goldar, who was still in flames, swung his fist out and Jason watched in horror as his helmet vanished and a gold fist connected with his jaw.

When he recovered he noticed the Yellow Ranger standing over him, battling Goldar herself. "Stop Aisha." He muttered, "I can handle him." The Yellow Ranger didn't hear him as she managed to hold Goldar back. He looked down at his bare hands and realized that he was no longer morphed. "What happened?" he murmured aloud.

Jason felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and he turned his head just enough to see the Blue Ranger next to him, "The Maker said our powers would be unreliable at first; you must have over exerted yourself. Take cover and rest until you're powers have strengthened."

Jason tried to shake Trini's hand off his shoulder, but the temporary loss of his power had drained some of his own energy. He stood up to help Aisha take care of Goldar but he immediately fell backwards, landing uncomfortably on his rear end. Utterly humiliated, Jason reluctantly took cover as he watched the two girls round up their rag-tag army of citizens and eventually drive Zedd's forces away.

And he suddenly remembered why he had left the team and even though they had won the battle, Jason felt like he had failed.

* * *

Kim wished that just for once she could stop crying; stop feeling anything. Then maybe it wouldn't hurt any more**.**

"I can't leave him here." Zack was still clutching to Curtis's body as if his life depended on it.

"You heard Zordon," Kat had her hand on Zack's shoulder as she tried to reason with him. "We can't take him to the Command Center; it's too much of a risk."

"I don't give a damn what Zordon says." The Black Ranger spat out their mentor's name with disgust, "He can stop playing God with our lives."

Kim felt Zack's pain, Curtis had been a good friend to them all and at times he and Richie had even helped them without knowing that they were aiding the Power Rangers. They could have easily stepped up and donned the Ranger uniforms themselves. Now Zedd would desecrate his body and use it in his assault against the Earth.

"I still can't believe Zordon would do that." Tommy shook his head in disbelief, "I can't believe he would just stand by and let those cities be destroyed without at least trying to do something."

Kim chewed on her bottom lip as she thought about everything they had missed. "Maybe he thought that it wasn't worth risking your lives?"

"That's not his decision to make!" Zack's head snapped up causing Kim to jump back in surprise, "When we accepted the Power we all agreed to lay our lives on the lines, Zordon gave us that choice. He has no right to take that choice away from us when it matters the most!"

"I agree with Zack." Billy spoke up, "While Zordon's choices were based on good intentions that does not make him any less dangerous."

Kim leaned back against a wall as she observed Tommy mulling over Billy's words. She had to admit it was hard to believe that Zordon would ever do anything that would place the Earth in any more danger, but she most certainly didn't doubt the words of her comrades. "Maybe now that we're back, Zordon will let us fight that battles that need to be fought."

Zack shook his head and Kat sighed softly, "Maybe for you guys, be we ALL agreed to be there until the end and I for one don't trust Zordon not to interfere."

"We'll just have to take control of our own destinies." Tommy stood tall and Kim followed his gaze towards the city of Los Angeles, "We should join Rocky at the Command Center and see if Jason and the other's had any success. I left Richie in charge of the rest of the evacuation."

Kim had to fight to keep the tears from starting again at the mention of Rocky's name. She kept seeing the Green Ranger's anguished face as they all learned about Adam and Billy had barely finished telling the story before Rocky teleported to the Command Center to be by his friend's side.

"I'm not going to leave him like this!" Zack cried out again, holding on to Curtis even tighter.

Kim made eye contact with Tommy and silently pleaded with him, they needed to help Zack. Tommy buckled under her gaze and he turned towards Billy, "Help me bury him." He chocked out and Billy nodded solemnly. Kim knelt on the other side of Zack and placed her hand on his shoulder and both her and Kat whispered words of comfort while he reluctantly handed Curtis over to be buried.

The Purple Ranger couldn't watch as the two men began to dig a shallow grave; she knew it would do no good to stop Lord Zedd from using Curtis's body as a part of his army. She could only hope that they defeated the evil emperor before they faced Curtis in battle. She wasn't sure any of them could survive fighting someone so dear to them.

Zack had turned and buried himself in Kat's arms and Kim decided it was best to leave them alone. She turned away from Tommy and Billy as they were lifting Curtis's body and she began to walk with no intended destination. She cleared her mind of all thoughts and tried to forget, for just a moment, that the world was about to end. She wanted to forget that she had ever left Angel Grove and that she had ever given up the one person she had wanted to share her dreams with. She imagined that they were standing at the edge of the lake at Angel Grove and his arms were wrapped around her waist and he would lean over and kiss her on the cheek. She imagined that they would stay that way forever and nothing could break the peace of that moment.

"Kim, is that you?"

The illusion shattered.

Kim held her breath as she turned to face the newcomer. As she turned she took a quick moment to make sure Tommy wasn't nearby and was grateful to find that the White Ranger was nowhere in sight. She was almost knocked of her feet as the man in front of her threw his arms around her.

"Hi Bryan." Kim whispered as she hesitantly placed her arms around his shoulders. So much had changed since she had last seen him and she wasn't ready to face him yet. She wasn't ready to break another man's heart.

Bryan pulled back and Kim felt guilty as he leaned in and placed a light kiss on her lips. She tried to respond to the kiss, her brain telling her that she had no chance with Tommy and that she was lucky to have Bryan and that a short lifetime with him was better than pining for Tommy. Her heart, on the other hand, screamed for her to tell Bryan the truth. To end it now and to keep fighting for Tommy, after all she had an eternity to spend with him.

Bryan leaned in to deepen the kiss and Kim pulled away, "Bryan, I can't…" She broke off as she saw the flash of hurt behind his eyes.

"I'm sorry." He tried to smile as he raised his hand and rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "I guess you've been through a lot." He paused, "I saw the news; all the footage from the Pan-Globals. You were a Power Ranger."

Kim smiled ruefully and braced herself for what needed to be done, "No Bryan, I _am_ a Power Ranger."

He looked confused for a moment before he broke into a huge grin. "Of course, it's a title you'll always carry around even though you retired; I get it."

She shook her head firmly, "No—well, you are right, but what I meant was that I am currently a Power Ranger."

"What do you mean? You couldn't have possibly been a Power Ranger while in Florida, it's just not possible."

Kim directed him to sit down and he followed her direction and she joined him. "Yes, I gave up my powers when I moved to Florida. Obviously I couldn't be a Power Ranger and train for the Pan Globals, I tried that and it nearly killed me." Bryan opened his mouth to ask, but she raised her hand to silence him so she could continue. She needed to do this now before she lost her nerve. "But when the current team lost their powers, we found a new source and all of us—everyone who's ever been a Power Ranger—decided on a new team. I'm a part of that team; it was something I needed to do."

He nodded, "I guess that makes sense, you needed the best team possible and I did always think the Pink Ranger kicked some serious ass." Kim smiled at that, a slight blush filling her cheeks. "When this is over though, you'll go back to being just Kim right?"

Her smile faded as they had reached the point of the conversation Kim had been dreading. "I can't do that." No, now was the time to be honest. "I don't want to do that. There's a lot I should tell you about these powers, but first you need to understand that I chose to do this because it was something I needed to do; not just because I wanted to fight the bad guy and save the Earth. It's kind of hard to explain." She sighed, "I couldn't give these powers up even if I wanted to."

"What do you mean?"

So she told him everything about the new powers, what they were like and the price she had to pay so that she could wear a Ranger uniform again. When she finished, they sat in silence and she allowed him to digest everything she had just told him. He picked up a stone and threw it to his right and they both watched it bounce away. "So this means that I'm going to grow old and you're going to remain young and hot?" She nodded and he broke into a boyish grin, "Sweet! I'll be the old cradle robbing pervert with the hot wife!"

"Wife?"

"Well, yeah." He paused and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small black box and holding it out to her. She hesitantly reached for it and took a deep breath before she opened it. Her eyes grew misty as she saw the large diamond glaring back at her. It wasn't exactly what she had pictured for an engagement ring, but Bryan looked pleased with himself as she continued to stare at it. "I had originally planned to propose after you competed, but I had to go to L.A. so my plan was a no go. You're Mom even seemed okay with it**."**

Kim's eyes widened and she closed the box in horror. "Mom…" She had almost forgotten about her family, "You haven't heard from my family, have you?" she whispered hopefully.

Her heart sunk as he shook his head, "I tried calling the hotel you were staying at, but I couldn't get through." He reached out and grasped her hand, "I'll help you find them when this is all over."

"Thanks."

She held the ring box back out to him but he pushed it back towards her. "Keep it." He whispered and her heart broke when she heard the hope in his voice, "I know it's not a proper proposal, but with everything going on…"

She grabbed his hand and placed the box in it and she wrapped his fingers around the box. "I can't say yes." She felt the tears slide down her cheeks as his head dropped, "I'm so sorry. I care about you a lot, but I can't do this any more; I have to listen to my heart and make some things right. I'm in love with someone else; and I always will be."

His head shot up at that and Kim was taken back by how empty his eyes looked, "This is about that Tommy guy isn't it? That's why you decided to be a Power Ranger again, that's why you want to live forever as a Power Ranger. It's because that's what 'oh-so wonderful' Tommy wanted to do. I remember when I first met you and you were so gaga over this guy; I never realized just how stupidly in love you were with him. Are you capable of independent thought, or did you have to consult Tommy and get his permission before you sent that letter and told him you wanted me instead?"

SMACK!

Kim hadn't realized her rage had taken control until she saw her hand still outstretched and Bryan cradling his cheek. "You couldn't possibly understand." She hissed through clenched teeth, "You couldn't possibly understand what Tommy and I shared. You could never understand how I regretted leaving him before I had ever even said goodbye. I was always my own person when I was with Tommy, he just brought out the best in me and I threw everything away because I was a coward."

Her anger ebbed as Bryan's face softened, "I'm sorry." He offered genuinely, "I didn't mean it; that was really awful of me. It's just that I love you so much Kim."

Kim was weeping now; why did she hurt everyone she cared about? Why did she break the hearts of those who loved her? Was it worth it? Here she was, breaking one man's heart for a chance with another man who had made it clear that he didn't trust her. Was it worth giving up on a sure thing for a slim chance with Tommy? Her heart beat soundly in her chest: _YES! _

It was time to take a risk and listen to her heart.

"I'm sorry too." She whispered softly, reaching out and embracing him. "I'm sorry I couldn't ever love you like you deserve. I'm sorry that I made this decision without you. But mostly I'm sorry for having to hurt you." She paused, "I have to listen to my heart this time and I have to do the right thing."

He nodded in understanding and she held him for a few more moments before he finally pulled away. Kim tried to smile, but he was looking over her shoulder at something behind her. She turned and her heart stopped.

"Tommy."

* * *

It felt like someone had thrown a bucket of ice water over his head and the cold was seeping through his skin and into the very core of is being. When he had gone in search of Kim, he hadn't expected to find her in the arms of another man. His fists clenched as he fought down the urge to pummel that man as if he was one of Zedd's mindless putties. The only thing that stopped the White Ranger from turning this guy into ground beef was the oath he had given Zordon when he chose to join the Rangers.

"Tommy." Kim repeated his name softly and his anger subsided—slightly.

He unclenched his fists and decided to play nice; but he was just waiting for this guy to give him a reason. "You must be Bryan." He said through clenched teeth. "I'm Tommy."

Bryan nodded and held out his hand, "Nice to meet you Tommy." The guy seemed genuine enough has he grasped Tommy's hand firmly, "I've heard a lot about you."

Tommy tried to find something appropriate to say. He had always been afraid of meeting Bryan; finding out he was a great guy and that he was perfect for Kim. "Kim told me about your Uncle, I'm really sorry to hear that." It was the only thing he could think of.

Bryan raised his eyebrows in mild surprise, "Thank you." He paused, "For everything. Because of you guys, my family is safe."

"We're just doing our jobs." Tommy shrugged, wishing Kim would say something but she just stood there with a slightly horrified look upon her face.

"That's all you've got to say?" Bryan looked baffled, "You're just doing your jobs? You save the world; you risked your lives on a daily basis and you did it without ever asking for anything in return. You guys could have had anything you wanted; the Earth owes it to you."

"We fight because it's the right thing to do, because it has to be done and we are willing to do it. Holding the Power means using it with honor—it means using the power only for defense, never for personal gain, and always keeping our identities a secret. It's not about glory, it's about honor."

Kim smiled slightly at that and Bryan nodded, "That's why I always admired you guys." He looked down at the ground and shoved his hands in his pockets, "I told Kim I had a crush on the Pink Ranger," _Wrong thing to say, buddy. _"But I wanted to be the White Ranger." He looked back up at Tommy, "I seriously mean that. And now that I've met you I was right, you're a good guy."

"Thank you." He paused, "Kim was right about you—you are a good guy." Tommy hated himself for liking Bryan, but Kim had been right. If it hadn't been for the tiny matter of Bryan stealing Kim's heart, then they probably would have been friends. As nice as the guy was, Bryan would always represent the worst moment in Tommy's life; and he would always remind Tommy that he and Kim could never go back to what they were.

He looked over Bryan's head at Kim, "We need to get back to the Command Center; the others are waiting." Kim nodded and Tommy held his hand out to Bryan, "It was nice to meet you. Take care."

"Thanks. I hope to see you guys again." Tommy nodded, though he hoped they would never meet again.

Bryan turned towards Kim and the two embraced, again Tommy's hands clenched and he felt himself burn when Bryan pressed his lips against her ear and whispered something that caused her to turn a deep shade of pink. She looked up at Tommy and smiled at whatever Bryan was telling her and the White Ranger turned on his heel and stormed away, he didn't want to watch any more. He didn't hear Kim say good bye to Bryan, but he heard two sets of footsteps, one growing farther away and one following behind him.

"Why don't we teleport from here?" Kim broke the silence after a few moments.

"Zack and Kat are still at Curtis's grave." Tommy replied tersely, "We need to pick them up."

They walked in silence for a moment, forcing Tommy to dwell on things he had wanted to forget and move forward. He shouldn't have spoken, but the words just fell off his lips before he could think. "What did you and Bryan talk about?" He didn't look back at Kim and he could see Zack and Kat up ahead.

"I told him about our new Powers." She was silent for a moment, "He proposed.—sort of."

Tommy tried not to freak out; this was a step towards a new life. "What did you say?"

"I said no, of course." Tommy tried to quell the rush of relief, "And not because of the Powers, he was okay with that. I said 'no' because he wasn't the one; he can't make me happy."

Again, Tommy had to remind himself not to hope for anything. There was nothing left between them and there never could be. "Stop it Kim."

"Stop what? You asked!"

"Stop trying to fix us! You made the choice to end it, now live with it!"

He heard her stop and he turned around and he was hardly surprised to see she was in tears, but he didn't expect to find her so angry. "Who the hell do you think you are?" she snarled, "You don't think I know what I did? I told you I was sorry. I told you I made the wrong choice!" she wiped a few tears off her cheeks, "I'm trying to be your friend, isn't that what you wanted? Or was that just a bunch of crap?"

"Yeah, well I thought it would be easier. But I can't trust your feelings Kim, I can't trust you. What guarantee do I have that I won't end up hurt again?"

Kim narrowed her eyes at him and there would have been a time when he knew to back down, but he was too angry for that. "I never wanted to hurt you." She stomped her foot, "I've already explained this to you, I was scared and alone and I made a mistake. Can't you grow up and forgive me?"

"I guess I can't." He had enough; he turned on his heel and stomped forward. He saw Zack and Kat, holding hands and his anger seemed to grow exponentially. Why was it that everyone he trusted his heart with simply used it as a step to find someone else? "Getting cozy?" He sneered, instantly regretting his tone when he saw Zack's grief stricken face and Tommy was disgusted with himself.

Zack simply turned away and in a flash of black he had returned to the Command Center. Kat looked surprised, but Kim was simply furious. "Don't take your anger out on them!" The Purple Ranger stormed up next to the Pink Ranger.

"Typical Kim." Tommy laughed, "Everything revolves around you, doesn't it? Did it ever occur to you that I have just as much reason to be angry with Kat as I do with you? After all, I loved her…"

"Stop it." Kat raised her hand, her voice was level but Tommy could hear an underlying anger, "Stop lying, you could have loved me but you never did. If anyone has a right to be angry, it's me. I waited and waited for you to finally return my feelings and it broke my heart."

Tommy felt his armor crack slightly but he wouldn't back down. "Seems like you got over it pretty quickly."

"You weren't the one." _Oh great, how many times would he get to hear that?_ "That doesn't mean you didn't hurt me."

"What about me?" Tommy raged, "I really meant nothing to either of you…"

"You know what." Kat snapped, "I'm done with this, Tommy. I'm sick of your self-pity. We're both sorry for what we did, now it's time for you to be a mature human being and learn to forgive. You'll be a better person for it."

Without another word, she teleported and Kim was right behind her—gone in a flash of purple. Tommy stayed behind for a moment to absorb all that had just happened. He knew Kat was right, but he didn't want to admit it. Forgiving her would come easy enough; she had done so much for him right after Kim had sent the letter. But if he forgave Kim he would have to move on and that would mean leaving their relationship behind. Something he just couldn't do.

He looked behind him and saw the makeshift grave they had dug for Curtis and he was reminded that they were in the middle of a war—a war with real casualties. He needed to focus on what was important.

When he reached the Command Center, he saw the Jason and the others had made it back safely. Trini and Aisha were relating the success of their battle and Tommy held on to the hope that they could win this battle. He saw Jason was leaning against the far wall; he stood as stoic as ever, but his face was a shade whiter. They must have had a hard time in Geneva.

Rocky was sulking by the infirmary door, glancing behind him every few moments as if waiting for Adam to step through it. Kat was comforting Zack, but Kim was watching him with a cold expression. _One step forward, twenty steps back._

"Where's Ninjor?" Trini asked.

"I am afraid that we lost communication with Ninjor, he is on his own for now."

"So what comes next?" Tommy pushed them forward.

Billy adjusted his glasses, "I think it would be wise if we returned power to the Zords. I think we can accomplish much more with them."

"What do you need?"

"I'm going to need you to channel some of your power to your coins and then I'll use them to power the Shogun Zords."

"Let's not waste any time then."

Tommy reached for his coin and waited for the others to do the same. Once they were ready, Tommy felt the power building within himself and he willed it towards the coin on the palm of his hand. It only took a few moments and he knew he had done it. The coin was warm again, it shone brightly and his new symbol was now carved into its face. He handed the newly charged coin over to Billy and the others did the same.

"I will head to the Zord bay and start working, please contact me if anything happens." He said the last bit in Zordon's direction, but there was no reply.

After Billy had left, the room descended into silence. Now that Zedd knew about the new Powers he was sure to speed up his plans, or perhaps change them all together. Tommy figured Zedd would take some time to regroup, he just hoped that time was enough to save the Earth.

* * *

Kat leaned against Zack's shoulder, hoping her presence was enough to comfort him. The exchange with Tommy had hurt her deeper than she had expected. She had hoped that he was past the anger and let go of the pain from the past. She was beginning to wonder if her plans to help Tommy were blowing up in her face.

Zack's shoulder began to shake and Kat looked up and what she saw made her want to cry. It was as if the natural light that had always been a part of his very being had been snuffed out. Her heart was breaking as she realized none of them would ever be the same again; they could never go back to what they were. She may never see Zack shine like he had when they first met, and the thought of that killed her a little bit.

The alarm sounded and Kat forced her attention away from Zack.

"What is it this time?" Rocky's voice sounded hollow.

"I am not completely certain. It seems to be a concentrated attack on one specific location, I would be on guard." Zordon was hardly comforting, "As long as Zedd keeps interfering with our monitoring, I cannot tell you what you are about to face. I suggest you take the Zords."

"Are they ready?"

On cue, Billy returned in a flash of blue.

"Then let's not waste any time."

Billy nodded, "I've calibrated the Zords. They should feed off of your power and work just as before. I should warn you all though, your Powers are connected to your very beings; if you overload the Zords you could risk physical harm to your selves."

"It's a risk we'll just have to take." Tommy stated simply.

"Very well then, here is how I calibrated the Zords. Aisha and Rocky will continue to pilot the Yellow and Red Shogun Zords respectively, Trini will take the Blue, Jason will take the helm of the black." He paused for a moment, "Tommy and Kim, you will share the White Shogun Zord."

"No." Kat had expected someone to disagree; she just hadn't thought it would be Kim.

"Definitely not." Tommy chimed in.

"We had already modified the White Shogun Zord for two pilots. Rocky and Aisha are already familiar with theirs, Trini should pilot the Blue Shogun Zord as the Blue Ranger, Jason is a great solo pilot, and so that leaves you and Kim."

"That's not the only reason, Billy." Kim accused, and Kat had to agree that Billy certainly didn't have to make Kim Tommy's co-pilot. At this point, she wasn't sure forcing Kim and Tommy into a small space together was such a good idea.

"We don't have time to recalibrate the Zords, so you two are just going to have to live with it."

"Fine." Kim muttered and Tommy grunted his acceptance.

Rocky stood up from his vigil, "Let's move out then."

"Kat, Billy and Zack—if you're up for it—I want you guys to go on foot and evacuate any citizens."

Kat nodded and turned to Zack. "I don't think I can go." He whispered for only her to live, "What's the point?"

Kat couldn't find any words to comfort him, so she leaned over a pressed her lips to his. She tried so hard to pour everything she felt for him into that one kiss, she put her entire being into it and hoped Zack would try and understand what she was trying to say.

As she pulled away she saw a spark flash behind his eyes.

* * *

"We need Shogun Zord Power, now!"

Jason tried to put the previous hour's incidents behind him, reminding himself that the team needed him to focus; he wouldn't let them down again. He would control his powers.

"Black Shogun Zord Power up!" His Zord flared to life and Jason suddenly felt at home again and instinct kicked in as he took control of his Zord.

"All right, we're going to Des Moines, Iowa. That's not far from where we last heard from Ninjor; keep an eye out for him." Tommy's voice rang out from over the intercom and Jason smiled; Ninjor would certainly stand out in any crowd.

Especially when he had grown to the size of a Zord himself.

Jason stared in horror as Ninjor charged towards them, his weapon raised. "Oh God." He heard Aisha mutter and Jason saw the tiny entrance wound on side of Ninjor's head, and the exit wound on the other side.

Jason braced himself for what had to be done; they had all known a time would come when they would have to fight familiar faces that had once been allies. He just prayed that this would be the only one. "Focus you guys." Tommy's voice was a shaking, "We can't save him."

Jason could hear Kim crying and Jason hoped that Tommy would quit being a pain-in-the-ass long enough to comfort her.

The five Zords engaged Ninjor in battle, hoping that Kat and the others could handle the rest of Zedd's army below. The Black Shogun Zord handled beautifully, but Jason was growing frustrated with the lack of progress. He knew no one wanted to destroy Ninjor's body, but it was them or him. "Tommy, we need to form the Megazord."

"Fine then." Tommy conceded.

Jason reached over to press the appropriate controls, when a charred, gold-plated hand grabbed his wrist and pulled him out of his seat. "Not you again." He snarled angrily as he kicked at Goldar, trying to free himself from his grip. Unfortunately, the small cockpit of the Zord left him little room to move.

He refused to call for help as Goldar threw him into the control panel, sending sparks flying. He was determined to finally beat this demon that had haunted him for far too long. Jason tried desperately to real in the powers that were flowing through his body, this time he consciously sent them at Goldar. He watched the flames leave his hands, but Goldar would not relinquish his hold and Jason was once again sent flying against the opposite wall of the Zord.

"Jason?" Tommy sounded concerned, "Jason, we're waiting for you to move!"

Jason remained silent as he lashed out another attack towards Goldar, but he felt his powers fade again and the Zord powered down. Jason hung helplessly in his enemy's grasp and the Red Ranger watched in horror as Goldar once again had him by the throat. He was slammed against the wall and he could feel blood dripping down the back of his head. The grip around his throat tightened and Jason felt his life slowly ebbing away, realizing that he had let his team down once again. He embraced the darkness that surrounded him, perhaps his final escape from failure.

"Jason, where are you?"

* * *

_I probably should have warned you all to watch out for the cliff, but…where's the fun in that? _

_I want to warn you all, updates may be sporadic for a while as I don't have internet access for the time being. I promise I have been writing and have made some progress with the two stories that follow this one. I will post chapters when I am able, but please keep reviewing and letting me know what you think. I still check my email daily at work, so your comments will still motivate me. _

_Now, let me know what you thought of this chapter:_

_I'm happy with how the relationships (both Kat/Zack and Tommy/Kim) are progressing. Yeah, Tommy and Kim are having a difficult time, but I don't think it should be easy for either of them. What do you think? I promise there will be resolution for the two eventually…what happens after that, only I know._

_More cameos from old friends: I wanted to bring Curtis and Richie back since they just suddenly vanished in the show and I really liked their characters, especially after they fought the putties with Zack. That was a great fight and it was nice to see someone other than Power Rangers doing the fighting. I'm sorry I had to kill Curtis though…and Ninjor too. _

_And then there's Jason…_

_What happens next? Well, I'll tell you this: watch where you're going…the next step is a doozy!_

_Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think. _


	9. Return of Old Friends

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* * *

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Part 9: Return of old Friends

**WARNING: Parts of this chapter get pretty dark**

* * *

Kim watched in horror as the Black Shogun Zord powered down and stood stock still in the middle of the field. One minute they were waiting for Jason so they could finish the Megazord transformation, the next minute they lost all communication with him.

"Jason!" Tommy shouted, "Damn it Jason answer me!"

Kim stayed close to Tommy, hoping to hear anything that would confirm their friend was alright. She glanced up just in time to see Ninjor charging straight towards them.

"Tommy." Kim tapped him on the shoulder.

"Jason!?"

Ninjor was growing closer.

"Tommy, I really think…" She gently tried to push him away from the main controls, but he blocked her access and Kim grew frustrated as she saw Ninjor raise his sword.

"Come on bro, where are you?"

"Tommy, NOW!"

Tired of playing nice, Kim shoved Tommy aside and took full control of the Zord and she managed to block the oncoming attack by a matter of seconds. The Zord kicked out and sent Ninjor stumbling back and she let the others distract him. "What the hell are you doing?" Tommy demanded as he pushed her aside, none too politely.

"Oh I'm sorry." Kim smiled sweetly, sarcasm dripping from every word, "I didn't realize you wanted to be a shish kabob."

Even though he was wearing a helmet, Kim could picture the dark frown that must have painted his face. "Well in case you forgot, something's wrong with Jason."

"Of course I didn't forget!" Kim stomped her foot petulantly, "But in case _you_ forgot, we are in the middle of a battle field here and we can't exactly help Jason if we're dead!"

"Fine then, quit being a backseat driver and let me do my job."

"Backseat driver?!" Fury began to race through Kim. How dare he? No matter what she had done in the past, when they were Power Rangers he would have to respect her. "In case you forgot, I am your co-pilot."

"Unfortunately." The White Ranger muttered. "God knows I could pilot this thing better without you."

"Uh…guys." Aisha's voice barely registered.

"Oh get off you're high horse." Kim sneered, "I just saved your life, how about a little gratitude for a change?"

Kim thought she heard Trini mutter, "This is ridiculous."

"Oh yeah? What exactly do I owe you? Do you want me to refund the postage for that letter you sent?"

If Kim hadn't been so angry in that moment, that remark might have stung. Fury; however, allowed it to bounce right off her armor. "Listen here…"

"Uh," Rocky's voice rang loudly over the intercom, "I hate to be rude and interrupt your very pleasant and enlightening conversation, but I feel I must remind the both of you that we are neck deep in trouble here and we would most certainly appreciate any help you two could offer." He paused, "Just whenever you two get a chance."

Kim felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment and without another word both she and Tommy set back to work. Working together, though rather reluctantly, they charged towards Ninjor but before another blow could land, he simply vanished and the White Shogun Zord stumbled for a moment before recuperating.

"What's going on?"

"Did he really just vanish?"

"Alpha, can you tell us anything?" Tommy's voice was filled with desperation and his shoulders were tense and Kim momentarily thought about being the bigger person and apologizing.

"Ay yi yi." Alpha interrupted that train of thought, "You're in the clear for now, I've spoken to Billy and the others on the ground and it appears that the city had long since been evacuated."

Kim frowned at that, so if there were no people here why then would Zedd chose to attack?

"Jason, answer me already!" Tommy slammed his fist against the console and Kim looked up sadly at the lifeless Black Shogun Zord. "This is getting us no where." The White Ranger exited the cockpit and Kim quickly followed. They met the others on the ground and everyone sprinted towards the Black Shogun Zord.

"It was a trap." Kat gasped between breaths as she caught up with them, "The city was already empty."

Kim stopped and turned towards them, "If it was a trap, then why did they leave right when they had the advantage?"

Billy shook his head, "They got what they came for." He pointed towards the Black Shogun Zord, "I just spoke with Alpha and he detected a second being in the cockpit with Jason."

Kim watched as Tommy hurried back towards the Black Shogun Zord. She started right behind him, she looked back towards Billy who was following, "How did anyone get in?" she asked, "I thought you had to have a Power Coin to gain access to the Zords?"

"Negative." Billy replied sadly, "We were trying to conserve resources so as to not risk harm to your physical beings. All the power we are channeling into the Zords is for fighting and piloting, unfortunately any secondary units are currently without power."

"You might want to re-think that idea." Tommy replied snidely as he forced open the cockpit of Jason's Zord. Kim was right behind him and her heart stopped on sight.

The inside of the cockpit was trashed, the control panels had been torn lose and there were scratches and dents in all the walls. Her eyes stopped on the far wall when she saw it was stained with blood and she instinctively placed her hand on Tommy's shoulder when she heard his quiet sob.

How much worse could this get?

* * *

Oh God, she just wanted to sleep. Her body and mind and heart begged for rest but she knew that rest could mean another loss.

Kat watched Zack closely, noting that he had passed from grief to anger. No one had spoken since they had teleported back to the Command Center as Alpha had already begun the search for Jason. She prayed that they still had a reason to hope he would be alright, but they had discovered that hope was hard to come by. Innocents such as Lt. Stone and Curtis had been mercilessly slaughtered. Adam was teetering on the edge of life and death; and the more time that passed, the more they had to come to terms that they would lose one of there own. And now Jason was missing and all signs indicated that he was no longer morphed and injured—a dangerous combination.

A beeping noise caused everyone to turn towards Alpha, "I've got him!" The robot exclaimed, throwing his arms up in excitement and everyone jumped up and started towards the consoles. Kat stopped as Alpha's arms fell to his side and his head dropped, "I've lost the signal."

"But that means he's alive, right?" Kat questioned, trying to keep the hope out of her voice.

"I believe so." Alpha stated cautiously, "But I think it is safe to say that he is not moving under his own power."

"You mean he's been captured?" Aisha was rubbing her temples in frustration.

"Uh oh." Kat stiffened as Alpha slowly stepped away from the console, "Something is coming through the viewing globe."

"But isn't that a good thing?" Kim asked cautiously, "We haven't had control over that since the beginning."

"We still don't have control, Kimberly." Zordon answered and Kat noticed the unease in his voice.

Lights began to flicker and flash and Kat could have sworn she heard thunder, though she wasn't sure how that was possible indoors.

"Not again." Kat turned towards Tommy and saw his, and everyone else's face, had gone white.

They all turned slowly towards the Viewing Globe, Kat's throat constricting with terror and they all knew what was coming next.

The picture was clear; Zedd was relaxed and Kat understood that whatever small advantage the new powers had gained them had just been lost. Zedd knew he had control over the situation and Kat wasn't sure what they could do to gain that control back.

"It's such a pleasure to see you all again." He spoke as if they were old friends who haven't seen each other in years, "You all look so tired, perhaps this is a bad time?"

"Cut the pleasantries, Zedd." Zordon's words were short and edged with anger, "I demand that you tell us where Jason is."

"Well, I certainly didn't expect to be treated so rudely." Zedd seemed put-off, "Perhaps I should just leave."

Kat glanced across the room and she knew exactly what Zedd wanted; he wanted them all to beg and grovel at his feet. No one was willing to let go of their pride do quite that, but Kat knew they had to take some step in that direction. It might even lure him into a false sense of security. She caught Zack's eye and hoped he would understand what she was about to do.

"Don't go." She choked out without making any attempt to hide the fear the evil emperor still evoked. She mentally cheered as Zedd cocked his head in her direction, acknowledging her words, "We all know that you hold are the cards, just please tell us how to get Jason back."

"What are you doing?" Kim leaned over and whispered into her ear, but Kat kept her eyes focused on Zedd who seemed to be appeased by her words.

Zack stepped up and Kat saw that his eyes were still burning with anger, but he knew her game and quelled his fury long enough, "Whatever you want, we'll do it. Just don't hurt Jason."

Zedd threw back his head with laughter, "You hero-types are always so predictable, you'll do anything to save the planet but when one of your own is in danger, you'll risk everything just to save them." He shook his head. "You're wrong though, I have no intention of offering an exchange for your Red friend. I want you _all _dead, but I will offer you an opportunity to join him here." The Viewing Globe panned out and Kat saw that Zedd was standing in the ruins of the Pan-Global arena. "I promise if you join me here there will be plenty of surprises for all of you, or you can just cower in your Command Center—I'm in no hurry."

The screen went blank, "Ay yi yi, we've lost the signal again."

"Well, let's go." Tommy stated simply and Kat prepared herself for teleportation, but nothing happened. Everyone turned up towards Zordon and the room was filled with tension. "We can't wait." Tommy was livid, but his voice was controlled, "Jason is depending on us."

"I do not think it wise; you are walking straight into Zedd's hands." Zordon reasoned calmly, "We are not even certain Jason is there."

"We don't have a choice!" Zack released his anger, "It's not like we have anything else to do. Zedd isn't going to strike again while he waits for us; this is possibly the closest we're going to get to him without worrying about innocent civilians!"

"I understand your concerns Zackary..."

"No you don't." The first Black Ranger snapped, "People died today —I lost family today. There are people laying their lives down for us when it should be the other way around. Stop taking our choices away from us, you're supposed to guide us but you're not supposed to interfere."

"Zack's right," Trini offered, "We don't exactly have a choice; its doubtful Zedd will strike any time soon and we risk losing Jason if we don't go. We cannot afford to lose any one of us."

Tommy stepped forward, "This isn't your call, Zordon." He nodded towards Billy who in turn stepped towards the console. "Let's get Jason back."

Billy began to press the coordinates when an alarm sounded.

"What's that?" Rocky turned towards the flashing light, right above the infirmary door.

"That alarm is in tune with Adam's heart monitor…" Kat's heart sank with those words.

"So what does that mean?" Rocky shouted desperately, already running towards the infirmary.

They were teleported away before they could receive an answer.

* * *

Jason cautiously opened his eyes slightly and he was forced to assume that he wasn't dead after all. He knew what the Morphing Grid was like and this most certainly wasn't it; it was too cold and empty. Besides, if he was dead his head certainly wouldn't have hurt so much. He rolled over on his side and tried to reach for his communicator when he noticed it was gone. He guessed wherever he was, Lord Zedd was probably nearby.

"Jason?" A familiar woman whispered; her voice laced with motherly concern. "Jason, are you alright?"

Jason opened his eyes entirely and his jaw dropped at the sight of the woman dressed in a bright pink dress, "Mrs. Hart?"

He tried to sit up when a wave of dizziness washed over him and he slumped into her arms. "Take it easy." Kim's mother admonished, "And it's Mrs. Dumas, now. But really, you can call me Caroline. I've known you since you were in diapers." Jason forced a laugh.

"Kim's going to be so relieved to know you're okay."

"Kim?" Her eyes widened. "You've spoken to Kim?"

Jason glanced over at her and frowned, "Haven't you been watching the news?"

She shook her head, "I've been trying so hard to find any sign of her. I thought she had to be around here somewhere, so I refused to leave when the rest of the area was evacuated."

"So, you don't know what's been going on?"

"I haven't cared; I just want to know that my daughter is alright." She looked at Jason desperately, "Do you know where she is?"

"She's probably in what's left of Angel Grove right now, with Tommy and the others."

Her eye brow shot up quizzically, "How did she get there, I thought all air traffic was suspended?" She shook her head, "_Why _would she go there?"

"It's a long story…" Jason started.

"And I'm afraid that he doesn't have time to tell it." Jason instinctively positioned himself in front of Caroline as Zedd stepped in and the room was bathed in a dim red light. Jason saw they were standing in the remains of the arena where Zedd had begun his attack. "But you don't need to worry, my dear lady. You'll get to see your daughter soon enough."

Jason's stomach lurched in disgust, "You won't lay a hand on her."

Zedd's entire being shook with laughter, "Not for the time being, we'll wait until little Kimmie is here to watch." Zedd leaned in, his face inches from Jason. "I can't wait to hear her screams as I rip her mother's heart out right in front of her eyes. And I hope to always remember the look on her face as her own mother snuffs out her pathetic life."

"Why are you after Kim?" Mrs. Dumas demanded, tears spilling down her cheeks.

Zedd shook his head, "Not very bright is she?" he asked Jason, "The little Pink—or is it Purple now?—brat certainly takes after her mother in the brains department."

"I promise you Zedd, we will defeat you." Jason tried to sound more confident than he felt.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Jason." Zedd scolded, "You don't think I don't know about your new powers? You think Zordon is the only one who knows the secrets of the Morphing Grid?" Zedd stood and stepped back and fingered his staff lovingly, "I will admit I was caught off guard by your sudden reappearance, but let me assure you that it was only a momentary set back in my plans. But you can't keep secrets from me, Red Ranger; I know your powers are still weak, I know that right now you cannot morph to protect even yourself." Zedd pointed his staff at Jason's temple, "I know that certain emotions—anger and despair—can cause you to overload your powers, so I intend to use that to my advantage. I may not be able to destroy your powers, but in their weakened state your minds are vulnerable. By the end of today, you'll destroy yourselves."

"Why did you bring me here?" Jason demanded. The longer he kept Zedd talking, the greater chance he had that his powers would recharge. "You had Kim's mother, you certainly didn't need me to draw the team here."

"Oh, but I want this to hurt as much as possible. The more familiar faces, the better." Jason didn't have time to ponder what that meant as Zedd sent waves of electricity through Jason's body. The Red Ranger bit his tongue; he would not give Zedd the satisfaction of hearing him scream in pain. "When the Rangers see one of their own broken and dying at my feet, they'll realize that there is nothing left for them but death. I want them to see that the Power will not always protect them."

Zedd kicked out and knocked Jason in the gut and before he could recover, Zedd kicked him again, and again. The evil emperor then lifted him by the hair and smashed his head into the balance beam, all the while Caroline's screams echoed in his ears and all he could think of was getting her out of there. Zedd continued his assault and Jason tried desperately to call forth his powers, but they flickered within him briefly before fading back.

He was tossed across the room and Jason found himself lying next to Curtis's body and he suddenly understood what Zedd had intended. They would all have to face those they loved and fight them as well. No doubt the emotions that situation could evoke would certainly force them to overexert themselves, leaving them all vulnerable. Jason didn't even close his eyes as Zedd kicked him in the head again; he simply laid still and waited for the inevitable.

He heard the familiar sound of bodies teleporting and he turned his head to the right and saw the others land; he noted that the team was already morphed. They were all playing straight into Zedd's hands.

"Jason!" Tommy shouted, but he knew no one would make a move towards him while Zedd was nearby. "Jason, can you hear me?" Tommy obviously thought the Red Ranger was unconscious.

"Of course I can." Jason managed to spit out and he could taste the blood pooling in his mouth. He needed to morph, and soon.

"It's such a pleasure to see you all again." Zedd sneered sarcastically, "I hope you're all as excited as I am, I have plenty of surprises in store tonight."

"We're tired of your games, Zedd." Jason heard Rocky snarl viscously, "Why don't we finish this now?"

"Oh, but that's the intent of this game,--to finish you off." Jason closed his eyes, and started listening too his body, trying to rekindle his powers. "I have plenty of guests for you tonight, I believe you've met Lt. Stone and of course Ninjor." Jason felt his body warming slightly and his fingertips began to itch ever so slightly, "and the newest member of my army, you know him Zack." Jason allowed his anger to help fuel the flame and noticed that it didn't stretch beyond his control. "Of course, soon I hope to add a few new soldiers. Adam of course, who is placed strategically in the Command Center, will do a fine job of leveling that wretched pile of stone." Jason allowed his anger to grow and was pleased that his powers remained strong, no hint of giving way. "Of course, I think our next guest is going to be my favorite addition yet. Rito, bring her out."

Jason heard the Rito's heavy steps dragging Caroline out from where Zedd had hidden her.

"MOM!" Kim's cry was painful to hear and Jason watched as she struggled against Tommy, who was holding her back.

Mrs. Dumas had remained still in Rito's arms until she heard her daughter's voice, "Kim?"

"You lay one hand on my mother Zedd and I swear to God I'll make you regret it." Zedd's laughter rang throughout the arena and Jason continued to push his powers, just a little longer and he would be able to morph—Zedd wouldn't know what hit him.

"I hardly doubt there's anything you can do to make me regret this." Jason watched in horror as Zedd reached out to Caroline, intent on fulfilling the promise he had made earlier. He was afraid to call on his powers too soon; if they weren't ready he could lose them again. He ignored his own body's cry to use the powers and instead he forced his injured body to move, hoping he could be quick enough.

Jason was instantly forced to take a step back as the air in the room began to move, circulating around Kim who had forced herself free from Tommy's embrace. Despite her short stature, the Purple Ranger stood tall and Lord Zedd stopped in mid-motion to watch as Kim began to charge and the wind seemed to continue to build and build around her, its speed and forces both deadly. Jason knew that this was a dangerous stunt for Kim to pull so early in the game, but he also knew that getting her mother out of danger was more important.

He latched onto Caroline all the while keeping his eyes on the Purple Ranger. She was a few feet from Zedd when she jumped in the air, twirling her body and Jason almost see the air manipulating with her. The instant her feet hit solid ground, Kim pushed all the wind that had surrounded her towards Zedd and Jason watched fascinated as the emperor was sent flying back to the opposite wall.

"That was morphenominal, Kimberly!" Billy had shouted.

Others had started to shout their congratulations, but Jason held his tongue as he watched the Purple Ranger stumble a bit before she fell on her back, no longer morphed. He let go of Caroline as she ran towards her daughter and his own injured body gave out as he fell to his knees.

* * *

Tommy didn't even think as he flipped in front of Kim and her mother; taking a blow that had been aimed for them. "Are you two okay?"

Caroline nodded fervently as she clung to her daughter and Tommy noticed that Kim had a hard time getting to her feet and she staggered a bit before she took her fighting stance. "Kimberly Ann Hart." Her mother admonished, "Just what do you think you're doing?"

"What does it look like?" Kim snapped impatiently as she kicked Rito away; Tommy could tell she was struggling as she rubbed her temples and tried to shake the dizziness away, "I'm fighting."

"Not in your condition, you're not."

"I'm fine." Tommy cracked a smile when Kim rolled her eyes, "You remember that one day I had that really bad flu?" her mother paused, before nodding, " Do you remember that was the day the Pink Ranger fought the Repellitoralmost completely by herself?" Again her mother nodded, her face filling with comprehension, "Mom that was me."

"Well…I…" her mother stuttered for a moment before she found something to say, "You're grounded."

Kim turned towards Tommy with a pleading gaze, "Can we please get her out of here." Kim did a back handspring as Rito's sword slashed at her legs but her feet didn't hit the ground with the same confidence she usually had. Tommy frowned and stepped in between Rito and Kim, hopefully giving her a moment to regain her strength. "Stop worrying about me and let's get her someplace safe."

Tommy raised his wrist, "Alpha, do you read me?" Static was the only response. "Alpha, are you there?"

This couldn't be happening.

Billy appeared to have been listening into the conversation and he managed to break away from helping Zack and Kat, who were having a difficult time dealing with Curtis and Lt. Stone. "Use my communicator to teleport her out of here." Billy handed Mrs. Dumas the blue device. "Alpha and I programmed it earlier as a fall back in case anything ever happened to the Command Center. It will teleport you safely to the base at Stone Canyon."

Tommy shared Kim's quizzical look, "Why can't we reach the Command Center?" The White Ranger demanded, "She would definitely be safer there."

The first Blue Ranger sighed, "I believe the Command Center has been compromised."

"How is that possible?" Tommy shouted impatiently.

Billy frowned sadly, "Adam." He paused for a moment and Tommy was forced to absorb the ramifications of that one word. "I believe that is why Alpha teleported us away so quickly, if Adam is indeed…" he couldn't seem to say the words, so he pushed passed them. "If that is the case, then Zedd would have breached the last bit of protection in the Center and we would have been vulnerable. So no, the Command Center is no longer secure—assuming it is still standing."

Tommy turned towards Kim, trying hard to push past the grief that threatened to swallow him alive. Tears were streaming down her face as her mother had her wrapped in a compassionate embrace, "Please," Kim managed to choke out as she placed Billy's communicator on her mother's wrist. "Please be safe."

Caroline shook her head and pleaded with her daughter, "I'm not leaving you here--I want you to come with me."

In her weakened state, Tommy thought that may not be a bad idea. In reality though, they needed to grab Jason and stick together. "We'll catch up with you." Tommy assured Kim's mother when the Purple Ranger seemed to choke on her own sobs, "I'll take care of her." He knew it wasn't his place to make that promise any more, but he couldn't help himself.

He felt a sense of longing when Kim smile gave him a grateful smile; her mother hesitated before finally agreeing. Tommy felt a bit awkward as Caroline suddenly embraced him tightly, "No one can take better care of her than you." She whispered only for him to hear. She then turned to her daughter and started to sob, "Please come home." She whispered as the two hugged one last time. Kim could only nod her response before her mother teleported away in a flash of blue.

"Now that you guys are free, do you mind giving us a hand?" Aisha gasped between breaths and Tommy noticed that the Yellow and Green Rangers had been surrounded by what seemed like an endless swarm of Tengas and Putties which were being led by Ninjor. Every time they took one down, five more seemed to appear. Billy had moved back to help Zack and Kat, while Trini held her own against Rito.

Tommy took a quick check around the room and wasn't surprised to see that Zedd was not participating in the fighting; instead he had chosen to once again let his minions get their hands dirty. Just as Kim had turned to help Trini, he grabbed onto her elbow and pulled her back, "Are you sure you're okay?" he whispered while desperately trying not to sound condescending.

She nodded once, "I can't morph yet, but I think I can stay on my feet."

Satisfied, Tommy let her go and turned to find Jason; once they got him out of there they could leave and regroup—and deal with the possible loss of the Command Center, and those inside. He made eye contact with the Red Ranger, who had managed to keep himself out of the fighting and was nursing his wounds. Why Zedd had chosen to suddenly abandon Jason was baffling, so the White Ranger remained cautious as he fought his way to his friend.

"So tell me?" Zedd suddenly snarled from the other side of the arena, "Do you think Adam will leave any part of the Command Center standing, or when you return will you find nothing but ashes in the place the once great Zordon resided? It's only a matter of time before it happens, and isn't it spectacular that Zordon will be destroyed by one of those he loved so greatly?"

Tommy snarled in rage as he pushed against Goldar; he couldn't deal with Adam now, he wasn't capable of dealing with such a devastating loss in the middle of battle. He allowed his rage to fuel his powers and barely noticed as they seemed to slip ever so slightly.

Rocky's fury echoed throughout the hall and Tommy stopped, mouth agape, as the Green Ranger slammed his fist into the ground. The earth beneath their feet trembled slightly as the ground split in two from Rocky towards Zedd, sending the emperor flying for a moment. Just as quickly as the events transpired, the ground repaired itself and all was calm.

Impressed Tommy turned towards Rocky and saw that he was no longer morphed as he grasped his chest while trying to catch his breath. Aisha was working double as she tried to cover Rocky from Ninjor's blows; a bright flash of light sent the Ninja Master stumbling backwards and Tommy began to feel a slight sense of trepidation as she landed on her knees next to Rocky, also no longer morphed. That left him and Trini with accessible powers.

"It's time to leave." He muttered softly and started to make his way towards Jason, but was once again stopped short at the sound of water rushing past him. He turned just in time to see that Scorpina had made her grand appearance and had Billy in a choke hold. The Blue Ranger swept her arms through the air and water began to appear around her entire being; and then carried Scorpina away. Billy rushed towards Trini and managed to catch her just as she de-morphed.

Things were not going well.

Tommy knew it was up to him now, calling the team to regroup was not an option as there were too many of the enemy. The only option he had was to get to Jason and then they would have to retreat. He hadn't even started to move when he heard Kim cry out and the White Ranger was once again a slave to habit as he turned and saw her backed into a corner with Rito's sword at her throat.

He knew that he could never reach her in time and his powers began to work on their own accord. It was as if his need to protect and his innate sense of honor began to concentrate within his very being. The White Ranger raised his hand above his head and that concentrated power within him seemed to flow through the air above them and then a crash as if the heavens were opening up, and Rito was struck down with a devastating blow that left nothing but ash.

Tommy felt a slight smile pull at his lips despite the fact that his own powers seemed to flicker before fading away entirely. It was a real pleasure to finally see one of Zedd's minions gone for good.

The world began to spin out of control and the White Ranger grabbed his head and forced everything straight again. Zedd had taken Rito's place, the end of his staff digging into Kim's throat. Tommy struggled to get back to his feet as his heart beat faster, as if that would force his powers to resurge. He had nothing left in him to save Kim.

"Shall we get the party started?" Zedd laughed as his empty hand began to glow and a small bottle appeared, "I've learned so many useful tricks on my journey to destroy you all. I think you'll all enjoy what I have planned next."

Tommy could barely contemplate what Zedd latest scheme could be when Kim lashed out and managed to get back on her feet. Zedd swung the 'Z' of his staff towards her head and the White Ranger felt his scream die in his throat as the room echoed with the sound of metal hitting metal.

* * *

For one moment, the world seemed to stop. No one moved. No one dared to breathe.

Kat's eyes remained transfixed on Zedd and Adam; both seemingly engaged in an intense struggle, though the only movement was the slight trembling of their arms. Adam's sword had stopped the motion of Zedd's staff and now the two were locked in a battle of wills. Kat knew that this was their opportunity to retreat with Jason; but the shock of seeing Adam alive was overwhelming after they had been so certain he was gone.

Kat released the breath she had been holding when Adam gained the upper hand and he swung his sword around, knocking Zedd back a few feet. "Guess who's back?" Adam was grinning from ear to ear and everyone cheered, but their celebration was short lived.

Zedd raised his hand that was holding the mysterious black bottle and squeezed it until it shattered. The entire room was suddenly filled with a dark fog and for a brief moment, Kat couldn't breathe. As the fog cleared, she noticed Zedd was nowhere in sight and she couldn't sense anything amiss.

Until Trini landed a hard punch into Billy's jaw.

"Why the hell did you give _me_ your coin?" The Blue Ranger screamed through her tears. "You are such a coward!"

Billy blocked a second punch and Kat thought he might try to reason with her, but instead he replied with a vicious response, "I'm the coward?" he snarled as he caught her off guard and kicked her back, "I'm the coward?! _You _were the one who left _me_ alone to go the Switzerland!"

Kat could no longer understand their words as they exchanged brutal blows with the intent to kill.

Kat felt like she should feel more than mild indifference to the two fighting, but she merely watched and hardly paid any attention to the anger building up within her own being.

"I don't want you're pity!" Rocky's voice boomed throughout the arena.

Kat turned her head just in time to see Rocky and Adam squaring off against each other. "Fine then." Adam snapped back, "You don't deserve it anyway! You're a pathetic excuse for a Power Ranger! Always feeling sorry for yourself, always worried you wouldn't measure up to Jason. News Flash Rocko—you don't, and I'm sick of trying to make you feel better."

Rocky's face darkened and Kat felt herself smile at their anger. "You should have never come back." And the Green Ranger slammed his foot into Adam's chest, but the second Black Ranger simply dusted himself off and got back on his feet. "This time you won't."

Kat felt her own anger grow—searching for an outlet. She raised her eyebrows in mild surprise as Aisha launched herself at Trini, who was still fighting with Billy. Suddenly it was Billy and Aisha versus Trini, though the new Blue Ranger was hardly bothered by that fact. "I'm sick of standing in your place." Aisha grabbed Trini by the hair as Billy landed a hard kick across her back, "You abandoned your spot and you can't come back."

"I was here first." Trini replied calmly as she grabbed Aisha's wrist and twisted it painfully, "You were just second best. Why would anyone really want to be friends with you? Do you want to know why Rocky won't admit his feelings for you?" Trini's eyes gleamed with a sense of dark purpose, "It's because he doesn't have any!"

Aisha backed away and suddenly launched herself at Rocky instead and Kat felt a deep satisfaction as all of her friends turned on each other. Her eyes landed on Tommy and Kim the anger inside of her roared to life. The two were all ready locked in combat and Tommy backhanded Kim, sending her flying towards Kat.

_Perfect._

Just as the Purple Ranger got to her feet Kat grabbed her shoulders and spun her around, kneeing her in the gut. "You should have just let Zedd kill you." Kat snarled, "No one wants you back."

Kim simply smiled and Kat's anger turned to fury, "Why are you blaming me for your failures?" Kim's voice was deceptively sweet, "I should have never left the Pink Power Coin in your hands; you couldn't handle it. No one here will ever really be you're friend, Tommy didn't love you—you were just a horrible substitute, so just go die already."

Kat mentally cheered as she saw Jason throw Tommy across the room, slamming him into a wall. "Who the hell do you think you are?" The Red Ranger demanded, "What gives you the right to just waltz right in and take my place?" he slid into a fighting stance, which Tommy mimicked, "Let's settle this once and for all."

"Fine by me, but if you can't even beat Goldar how do you expect to beat me?"

Kat returned her attention to Kim as she pushed her down and she pressed her foot down into the flesh of her neck. "I really missed being evil" Kat smiled wistfully, "It's such a pleasure to completely let go of all inhibitions and just take what you want—and right now, that's your life."

Kat's smile faded as Kim grabbed her ankle and pushed the second Pink Ranger off of her and into Zack. She turned and frowned at the Black Ranger and he returned the look. "Stay out of my way." He warned darkly.

"I wasn't in your way." Kat was annoyed at his sudden interference as she tried to fend off blows from Kim. "Go take care of Zordon or something—he's pissed you off enough."

"I tried, but I can't get to the Command Center."

Kat rolled her eyes, "You can't really do anything, can you? You left Adam to fend for himself and it nearly cost him his life. You couldn't save Curtis. Maybe you should just do us all a favor and drop dead."

"Maybe you're right." The anger in Zack's voice turned to resignation and Kat was satisfied as he walked away.

She focused her attention back on Kimberly and frowned when she was met with a wicked smile, "You should take your own advice. After all, you never were a real Power Ranger and you'll never be one. Just quit wasting our time."

Suddenly Kat no longer felt any anger towards Kim and it turned towards herself. Her predecessor was right; she never was a Power Ranger. She didn't understand the Power or how to use it. And now because she had chosen to let Kim have her spot on the team back, she never could understand all the secrets of being a Ranger.

She noticed that Zedd's army was beginning to trickle into the arena and she caught a glimpse of Rita. She let her legs carry her towards the witch as she began to weep; she was ready to die at the hands of her mistress.

* * *

Kim felt a sense of deep satisfaction as Kat heeded her advice and began to seek her own death. She turned back towards Tommy and frowned when she saw she wouldn't have his full attention. "He'll never look at you the same way." Zedd's voice whispered in her ear, and she could feel his presence right behind her. "Your cowardice damaged him beyond repair and you deserve nothing more than his contempt." She felt cold and empty as he ran his hands through her hair tenderly, "Do you want to continue living knowing that he'll only ever look at you with disgust?"

Kim shook her head sadly as tears began to steam down her cheeks. Her heart began to scream against the darkness that filled her body; her powers begging her to take control of them once more, but she only had the desire to end her suffering. "I want him to love me again." She murmured sadly.

"But he can't love you. Why should he love you?" Zedd sighed, "You only hurt those you love. Love only leads to pain. Why would anyone want that?"

Kim nodded her head in agreement, "I don't want to feel anything any more. Not sadness, not anger—not love."

"I can take it all away." The Dark Emperor lightly placed his fingers around her throat, brushing her skin ever so slightly. "Tell me what you want."

Kim ignored the frantic beating of her own heart as she nodded "I want to die."

* * *

Jason's fury raged under his skin, knowing he didn't have a fair shot of beating Tommy while he was injured. "You're pathetic." The White Ranger snarled, "You didn't deserve to be leader. Zordon knew that, so he brought me back to correct that mistake. Unfortunately, you're still here. Go do us all a favor and let Goldar run his sword through your heart." He pointed towards the simian, who seemed to be waiting just for Jason.

The words struck Jason hard and the fire within his very being burned. Tommy was right; there was no reason to fight any more. They were all going to die anyway--no one could stop Zedd. But he wasn't going to die by Goldar's hands. He smiled wickedly at Tommy, "You don't deserve to live, either." He pointed out and he relished in the hurt that crossed Tommy's face, "You depended so much on Kim's feelings for you that you simply fell apart without her. You're nothing but an empty shell."

Jason felt victorious as Tommy straightened his shoulders, "You're right. What's the point of going on?"

"Glad you're finally taking my lead." Jason sneered, "I'll even help you out: I'll take you _and_ Goldar with me." Tommy nodded and smiled in agreement. Satisfied, Jason decided he needed to call forth his powers--they would all go out in flames. "It's Morphin' Time!" He called forth the fire and barely noticed Zedd's shout of frustration.

Flames leapt forth from Jason's being and purged the darkness that had consumed him. Without a moment's hesitation, the Red Ranger raised his right hand and Goldar was obliterated in a storm of fire.

As the smoke cleared, so did the doubt that had haunted him for too long.

* * *

How dare he? Jason had promised to kill him; to end both their lives in one blow. Tommy had to chalk it up to once again placing his trust in someone else. "We had a deal." Tommy reminded the Red Ranger.

"Do it yourself," Jason replied coldly, "and at least have some dignity and morph."

Tommy glowered at his friend and was reluctant to do anything he said. Still, being a Ranger was the one thing he was good at so might as go out in uniform. "It's Morphin' Time!"

He felt his powers expel the dark fog that had filled his being and his powers were once again stable. He wasted no time in turning towards his teammates and what he saw terrified him to the core.

Rocky had picked up Goldar's sword and both he and Adam stood ready to spear each other's hearts. Zack had given his axe to Curtis and was waiting for the blow to strike. Kat was kneeling in front of Rita who had her staff raised. Aisha, Trini, and Billy were climbing in the rafters of the ceiling, preparing to jump. Finally, Tommy's eyes landed on Kim and his heart stopped.

Zedd had her in his arms, one hand squeezing the air out of her throat. She had her eyes closed in peaceful resignation and Tommy new he only had seconds to act.

He once again listened to his powers and allowed them to bridge a connection between himself and his teammates. He wasn't sure how he knew it, but because they had all once touched the Power he could use the Grid to reach them all. His desire to protect and save them all flowed through that connection and he watched as his power eradicated the darkness and despair that had filled them.

In a nanosecond, Zedd was sent spinning through the air in a vortex of wind and Kim stood calm and confident. Kat launched herself at Rita and the second Pink Ranger easily overpowered her adversary. Tommy felt relief flood his being as Billy and Aisha helped Trini deal with her fear of heights as they climbed out of the rafters. Both Rocky and Adam dropped their swords and simply stared at each other, the tension still filling the space between them.

Zack wrestled his axe back from Curtis and gave one Jason a pleading look, and both Tommy and the Red Ranger understood exactly what he wanted him to do. Jason hesitated for a moment before burning Curtis' body. Tommy found it hard to watch, but he knew it gave Zack some relief knowing that Zedd could no longer use his cousin against them. He hoped it would bring the Black Ranger some peace.

"This is hardly over!" Zedd growled as he regained his footing and raised his staff, "It's time for you all to die!" Tommy opened his mouth to direct the others to morph, but the recognizable sensation of being teleported washed over him and the world turned white briefly before turning back.

He wouldn't have known where they had landed if it hadn't been for the numerous familiar faces that surrounded them. Ernie had jumped back in shock as Billy had practically landed right on top of him and Kim's mother shrieked with excitement the moment her daughter's feet touched the ground.

The whole room cheered, but Tommy could only wonder why they were there and not at the Command Center. His eyes landed on Adam and decided he needed to ask the question that had been on everyone's mind. He motioned for the others to follow him and was grateful that the crowd—even Bulk and Skull—were willing to respect their privacy. There was a tension between them all as they walked the halls; Zedd's spell had brought out their deepest and darkest thoughts for everyone to see. Now there were a lot of unresolved issues between teammates that needed to be dealt with and a lack of time—and possibly even courage for some—to resolve these issues.

Once they had found a secluded area of the base, Tommy turned to Adam who already seemed to understand what he was going to ask. Adam rubbed the back of his neck and for the first time, Tommy saw that it was still covered with a dark purple bruise. "That connection that Alpha set up to the Grid worked really well, though I will admit that at times it was a bit of a—well, it was an out of this world experience." He paused as if remembering something and a slight blush crept up his face. Tommy cleared his throat and Adam quickly got the meaning. "Anyway, when I woke up I kind of got impatient waiting for someone to find me, so I disconnected myself from the machines and got up just as Alpha teleported you away."

Tommy then asked a question that was troubling him, "So if you're alright, then why couldn't we reach the Command Center?"

"Alpha and Zordon are working on a way to override Zedd's access to our monitoring systems. I don't know the details, but Alpha said they may try to divert part of the Command Center's powers to the base here and try using their systems since Zedd would hardly think about using them."

"That's not a bad idea." Billy interjected, "Now that the Command Center's resources are spread out, Zedd will have a more difficult time interfering with them."

"That's exactly what Zordon and Alpha had in mind." Adam replied. "My guess is that we were sent here because their plan worked. That means Alpha is around here somewhere and we should try and find him."

Tommy began to wonder why they hadn't seen their robot friend yet, and in response he heard Alpha's voice carry over from the next room. "Ay yi yi yi yi. I wish they would hurry up."

The room was filled with light laughter and Tommy led the others to the neighboring room. The room itself was empty, except for a few computers and a television set that had been connected to a console that looked like it had been ripped straight out of the Command Center. "Oh thank goodness you are all safe and sound." Alpha greeted them all, "Zordon and I were worried that you wouldn't overcome Zedd's spell in time."

"That was probably one of the hardest things we've ever faced." Tommy agreed, "But we have to push forward."

There were murmurs of agreement throughout the room. "We can't keep fighting like this." Jason added, "We have to come up with a real plan to stop Zedd once and for all."

"That's what Zordon and I've been working on. To destroy Zedd, you must first cut him off from his source of power."

"You mean the alternate dimension he's opened?" Trini queried, "How do we do that?"

"You must destroy the key that is holding the portal open." Zordon's voice rang out from the console, "Without Zedd's interference, Alpha and I have determined that it is located in a remote location in Colorado. I must warn you, the portal can only be closed by breaking the key that holds it open. The key, and the portal, will be guarded by a protective barrier that will fight against anyone who tries to pass through it. I ask that only a morphed Ranger attempts to close the portal, it could prove fatal for anyone else who tries to do so."

All eyes in the room shifted towards Tommy as they waited for their leader to tell them what to do. He considered their options; none of which seemed that promising. "Zedd's no doubt ready to deliver an all out strike." Tommy started slowly, "This is probably our last chance, but I doubt Zedd's going to give us the opportunity to close the portal."

"Then let _us_ give you an opportunity."

The door to the room burst open and Tommy's draw dropped as four teenagers—and one younger boy— bounded through the door. "T.J.?" The name slipped passed Tommy's lips before he remembered that this T.J. wouldn't know him.

"How do you know my name?"

Tommy stuttered for a moment, "It's a long story." He finally responded, "And we don't have time for that now."

T.J. seemed satisfied with that answer, "I guess introductions are in order." He pointed to the two girls, "This is Ashley and Cassie," the girl dressed in pink waved at Kat and T.J. pointed to the other two boys, "This is Carlos and Justin." The younger boy waved his hand in excitement.

The fact that they were all dressed predominately in Ranger colors didn't escape Tommy's eyes and he understood their destiny—they were all a part of T.J.'s team. The would-be Red Turbo Ranger continued, "You guys go close that portal thing and we'll lead a resistance here if this Zedd guy decides to stir up more trouble."

"That seems like a great idea." Jason spoke cautiously, "But Zedd is more than likely going to attack more than one place, and we can't just let the Earth fend for itself."

"Hey, don't worry about it. This base has been communicating with military across the globe; we can relay an action plan in a matter of minutes. The whole planet is ready to unite behind you guys." He paused and looked Tommy straight in the eye. T.J. was definitely a Red Ranger at heart. "You guys have sacrificed so much fighting for us, now let us fight for you."

Tommy didn't hesitate for a moment as he turned to his teammates. His eyes locked into Kim's and his heart began to beat anxiously. This was it: It was now or never.

"Let's do this."

* * *

_This chapter is the beginning of the end._

_Guess what! Only two more chapters left! _

_So, things got a little ugly in this chapter as everyone was forced to face some pretty intense issues—unfortunately, most of this issues haven't been resolved. Will they? Only I know that…_

_insert evil Green Ranger laugh_

_I'm just going to leave you all with a simple warning: the next chapter contains the death of a major. It's not titled "Sacrifice" for nothing…_

_As always, your feedback is greatly appreciated. I wish I had more time (and internet access) to spend personally thanking all of you who have left such wonderful and encouraging comments. When I first posted this story I had no idea that it would garner such a positive reaction. I'm certainly excited to continue on with other ideas that have been floating around in my head. _


	10. Sacrifice

**Part 10: Sacrifice**

* * *

Kimberly hated the silence; how it forced her to dwell on dark thoughts that threatened to consume her and dash the courage she would need for what lay ahead. With the future unknown, the Purple Ranger could hardly keep her thoughts in line as the minutes ticked down to their final battle.

"We need a contingency plan."

All the heads in the room turned towards Billy and Kim felt a bit of relief at the sudden distraction. She fought the instinct to look at Tommy when he spoke, "What exactly do you mean, Billy?"

Kim watched as one of her oldest friends frown sadly as he gazed directly into Tommy's eyes and she understood the significance of what he was about to say.

"A plan in case we fail."

The room was silent as everyone held their breath and let Billy's words sink in. It was a frightening truth that no one wanted to accept. Now would be the time someone—Tommy, Jason, or even Zordon—would step up and unite the group. Now was when someone would remember that all they needed was faith, hope, love, or the Power within themselves and they would be able to do anything. But as those thoughts filtered through her brain, Kim realized that the simple truth was this: No matter how hard they tried, no matter how much they loved and cared for each other, no matter what power they had—today may be the day that the Power Rangers failed.

What would happen then?

"Did you have something in mind?" Jason whispered, apparently accepting Billy's idea was difficult even for him.

Billy turned towards Alpha, "Zordon once mentioned that there are several sources of Powers that can be or already are connected to the Morphing Grid—it is also my understanding that we can tap the Grid and create Powers of our own." He paused and adjusted his glasses, "I believe it is important that we have a team in line; someone to take our place and keep the Power Rangers alive."

Kim smiled, "As long as there are Rangers; there's hope."

"Exactly." Billy nodded in agreement, "Alpha is this possible?"

"Indeed it is, Billy."

"After you all graduated, Alpha and I had been working on a new set of Powers in case a new evil ever came to Earth." Zordon's voice boomed over the intercom, "While the Zords are still in the preliminary stages, a new team could be in place in days if the worst were to happen. These powers will probably share the same fate as yours before, but the fight must go on until good triumphs."

"Fine then." Tommy stated firmly, "I know who the team will be." Kim felt a smile tug at her lips, knowing exactly which five he was referring to. "Let's talk about what we're going to do today."

Suddenly, the finality of the task ahead of them struck Kim hard and she realized that today could be the last of many things. It could be the last time she stood on a battle field as a Power Ranger. It could be the last time she would see her friends. It could be the last time she would be standing at Tommy's side.

Today could be the day she took her last breath.

"We'll all take the Zords to Colorado," Tommy interrupted her thoughts, "We'll have two people in each Zord until we reach our destination."

Kim tipped her head back against the wall and frowned, remembering the last time she shared a Zord with Tommy. The result had been disastrous and their argument had placed their teammates in danger. It was a mistake they couldn't afford to make again.

"We'll do as much damage to Zedd's army with the Zords while Kat, Zack, Adam, and Billy search for the portal. Once it's found, one of us will rendezvous with you to close it." Tommy paused, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes as he continued, "If we start running out of time and can't get to the portal, then we take out as many of Zedd's army as we can before the end. We don't leave the battlefield until it's over—one way or another."

She watched as Tommy assigned a co-pilot to each Zord; not really listening to what he was saying but merely studying him. His eyes were dull with exhaustion; the dark circles under them were highlighted by his pale complexion. The stress lines on his jaw and forehead made him seem decades older than his true age. The way his shoulders were hunched told Kim that he was losing faith, and that the confidence in his voice was simply an act to cover the fear that he—as their leader—was forbidden to show.

She wanted so badly to take him in her arms and let him release all that was pent up inside, but she knew he would never allow her to do that. Still, she remembered that moment in the arena when he promised her mother that he would take care of her. The moment the words fell from his lips, Kim felt her heart burst with hope and she now clung to that hope desperately. In that moment, Kim knew that Tommy had forgiven her and that whatever may come; things between them would be alright.

They may never be lovers, maybe not even friends. But Kim knew now that with his forgiveness, they could both be at peace with the choices they had made as they looked death in the face.

And that was just fine with her.

* * *

Tommy gave a reluctant glance behind his shoulders to see T.J. and his team patrolling the outskirts of the base. They were in constant communication with those inside who were armed and prepared to defend themselves when Zedd attacked. They had managed to get messages all across the globe and the world's military and civilians were all prepared to strike back should Zedd try and take them out. It almost filled Tommy with hope—almost.

It was hard imagining leaving all these people unprotected while they did something a Ranger never once thought to do; they were going to use their powers for something other than defense. They were going to use all the forces at their disposal and strike Zedd down before he could reach his ultimate goal. Tommy reminded himself that Zedd had forced them into this situation and that if they waited any longer, Zedd would win.

This was their only option.

Remembering the contingency plan Zordon and Alpha had begun to set into motion, he walked back towards the would-be Turbo Ranger.

"T.J.!" he called and the young man jogged up to him, the rest of his team following suit. Tommy paused for a moment, as he considered the right words to say. "What you guys are doing now; that's what it means to be a Power Ranger. You're risking your lives—your futures—for countless of people who will never know your names." He reached out and shook T.J.'s hand firmly, "May the Power protect you."

T.J. gave him an odd look, but he seemed to stand straighter, "You guys come back safe, this world will always need you."

Tommy nodded and cleared his throat before continuing, "If we don't, I want you five to take our place. Zordon are working on other Powers, they'll be weak against Zedd but we have to keep it going. There's always a way." He took the communicator off his wrist and handed it to T.J., "Trust Zordon and Alpha and trust in the Power; the world will always need Power Rangers, please do all that you can to ensure that's the case. Can you do that?"

T.J. took the communicator and nodded; grim determination etched across his handsome features, "It's not even a question."

"Tommy?" Jason called, "Everyone's ready, we need to move out."

Tommy gave T.J. one last meaningful look and the would-be Red Ranger nodded in understanding before him and his team returned to patrolling the base. Satisfied, Tommy turned to join his team and go into battle with a heavy heart. He wasn't worried that this could be their last battle; they had been prepared for that since the beginning. He watched Kim as she hugged the other girls—perhaps their final goodbye. What saddened him the most was knowing that his pride may have caused him to miss opportunities to settle all accounts—he wouldn't be able to face death without regrets.

* * *

Jason waited patiently for Tommy to join them; he knew that what he was telling T.J. was important since those five would be the next line of defense should things go wrong today. When the White Ranger joined them, Jason meet his eyes and he could see an underlying sadness behind them; it was in all of their gazes. "Are the Zords ready?" Tommy straightened his shoulders.

Billy nodded, "It was quite fortunate that the damage to the Jason's Zord was superficial, it was easy to repair."

Jason was glad to hear that, it was a relief knowing they would all go into battle at full strength. He felt his Power flux and he knew that they wouldn't fail him again. Zordon had told them that the flux in their powers was temporary, and that their bodies needed to adjust. Now, their bodies understood the Power and they were one with their chosen element.

This battle wouldn't be lost because they were weak. "Do we all know where we're going?"

"Billy and I will be in the Blue Zord," Trini replied, recalling the Zord assignments they had decided upon earlier, "Kat will travel with Aisha. Adam will be with you, Jason. Zack will go with Rocky, and Kim and Tommy will continue to co-pilot the White Zord."

Jason nodded and was pleased to see that Tommy seemed relieved to be with Kim this time. Maybe there was still a chance to make things right; he only wanted his friends to find peace before the end came. "Then let's do this." Tommy commanded.

Jason morphed and they all called upon their Zords. Again, the Black Shogun Zord responded well to Jason's command and Adam was a great asset as he co-piloted, giving him pointers here and there. Jason turned towards the second Black Ranger mid-flight, "Thanks for giving me your coin." He paused, "But I know you really wanted to keep it."

Adam pressed a few controls, "I thought that maybe Billy would have given you his coin instead of Trini. When he didn't, I knew Rocky was going to give you his and that would have been wrong. Rocky's heart was in the right place, but it was for the wrong reasons." He paused, "I may regret giving up my Power Coin, but I won't regret the reason why…even if Rocky resents me for it."

Jason pursed his lips, "You guys haven't worked that out?"

Adam shrugged, "Not really. It's not the time to settle our petty differences."

Jason bit his tongue, wanting to argue that this was exactly the time to be doing that. He kept silent as they moved forward; it was time to focus on the battle at hand.

"We've reached our destination." Tommy's voice rang over the intercom, "Kat, Adam, Billy, and Zack: you guys go on foot and keep an eye out for the portal. We'll try and do as much damage to Zedd's army with the Zords. Everyone keep all lines of communication open."

Jason turned back to Adam, "Check you later!" Adam shouted as he jumped out of the cockpit and Jason hoped that it wouldn't be the last time he saw the Black Ranger.

* * *

Kat scanned the area; she thought it would be easy to spot a portal that led to a dimension of pure evil. Unfortunately she was surrounded by the majestic beauty of the mountains and she began to worry that there wasn't enough time. She glanced over at Zack who shrugged his shoulders; they had no choice but to wait for something to happen.

It happened quickly.

The four of them had been huddled with their backs together, facing the four different directions. The next thing Kat was aware of was the taste of dirt and blood and the smell of burning hair. She tentatively reached for her head and noticed a large chunk of her blonde tresses were missing. _Zedd, you're a dead man. _She slowly pulled herself back onto her knees and glanced behind her. The Emperor of Darkness was standing where they had been and the ground around him was scorched and still smoking from the blast. They all got back to their feet and they were overrun by Zedd's armies.

Kat allowed the adrenaline in her veins to push her body beyond its limits and she reminded herself that there was nothing left to lose. She didn't look at the faces of those she was fighting and she didn't speak to Zack or the others; she simply pushed forward. She heard the sound of the Zords nearby and she assumed they were having some luck, but she knew that time was short and if they didn't get to the portal soon then that luck would run out.

She stumbled over a tree root and a fist skimmed her shoulder. She slammed her attacker against the tree and that was when something caught her eye. She saw a crevice in the walls of the mountains. A penetrating chill seemed to be radiating from within and she noticed that the light seemed dimmer in that direction. She looked behind her and noticed that no one was pursuing her. The Zords were still occupied as several of Zedd's minions had grown to the size of the mountains themselves. Kat followed the coolness of the wind and decided to do a little more investigating.

* * *

Kim was relieved that her second time as Tommy's co-pilot was going much smoother than the first. They worked together instead of fighting each other and Kim could see the tension leaving his body as their travels went smoothly. "Has anyone one on the ground found our target yet?"

"Negative." Billy was the first to reply.

"Not here."

"Still looking."

"I may have found something." Kim felt her heart jump with excitement at Kat's words. "I'll let you know when I find out for sure."

"That's great Kat." Kim congratulated the Pink Ranger, "Just don't do anything with out us."

"I read you loud and clear."

Kim turned towards Tommy, "We might get out of this okay." She whispered hopefully.

The White Ranger nodded and his voice echoed that hope, "We just might." They both turned back to the fighting and noticed that the number of their overgrown opponents had doubled, "If we ever get out of this mess."

They set to work and Kim noticed that the Zord was much more responsive when they worked together. It wasn't long; however, before the Purple Ranger was forced to admit that things were getting out of hand. "This isn't getting us anywhere." Frustration lined the edges of the White Ranger's words. And Kim watched as the other Zords were smoking, sparks flying from the Blue Zord reminded her of they day they watched the Thunder Megazord crumble and their world fall apart.

"I'm losing too much Power over here!" Rocky shouted across the intercom.

"No kidding!" Aisha responded, "I'm in the same boat."

"We all are." Jason echoed their frustrations, "We need more Power!"

"I don't know if we can do that." Billy responded, "Alpha?"

"Ay yi yi, an increase of Power will overload the systems and your bodies. You wouldn't be able to survive."

"Kat, have you found the portal?"

Kim listened for words of hope to break through the silence, but a few seconds later there was a weary reply. "No, I was wrong."

"Tommy," Jason's voice was lined with fear and resignation, "We're running out of time. We're getting overrun here; I don't think we're going to make it to the portal. We need to do something big."

"Jason is right." Rocky added, "What about our contingency plan?"

Kim inhaled and she turned towards Tommy, who would make the ultimate decision. "Do it." He stated firmly, "We'll at least take most of Zedd's armies with us, that might buy T.J. and the others a little bit of hope."

The ramifications of those words struck Kim and she realized that this would be their last stand. Everything they had fought for had lead to this moment and she was thankful that she would be next to Tommy when it all happened. "But what about the portal?" Trini reminded, "One of us has to close it, it's too dangerous for any one else. You know Zedd will move it as soon as he can, do we really want to give up this opportunity?"

The White Ranger turned back to her, "Get out." He commanded, "There's no reason we both need to die, go and close the portal."

Kim was furious at the suggestion, "I'm not leaving." She held her ground, "If anyone should go it's you."

"I can't do that." His voice dropped and Kim could hear the underlying fear, "I have to make the sacrifice."

"Why!?" She was on the verge of tears now. Why did he have to do this without her?

"Because I can't…I just…" he was struggling for the right words. The Purple Ranger was caught off guard as he ripped off his helmet and pulled hers off with the same amount of force. In one swift movement, Tommy pulled her up into his arms and kissed her.

* * *

It was like he could suddenly breathe again.

Tommy felt the walls he had built around his heart shatter and he as he drank in her essence; he was once again whole. He was relieved when she got over her initial shock and returned the kiss enthusiastically. There had never been such a passion and need between them before and something changed between them. He deepened the kiss for a moment before reluctantly pulling apart and catching her eyes.

It was in that moment that all that had gone wrong between them was made right.

"I have to make the sacrifice because I've learned something: I am capable of living without you; I can limp along for the rest of my life almost fully healed, but I don't _want_ to."

"And I don't want to either." Kim whispered back. "I love you, Tommy Oliver. _That _has never changed."

Tommy smiled, "I love you too, Kimberly Hart."

A chorus of cat-calls rang through the speakers, "I think Alpha should program video feed into the Zords so we can all watch." Rocky laughed.

"It's about time." Jason's smug voice rang out loudly, "But seriously, can you guys focus on the task at hand."

Tommy knew his face was red and Kim giggled as they both replaced their helmets. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked in all seriousness, "Any of you can leave now if you want."

"We're in this together." Aisha responded confidently.

"I go wherever you go." Kim whispered as she leaned against Tommy.

Relieved and satisfied, Tommy turned back to the controls. "Alpha, I need you to keep feeding the Zords power." He made sure his tone left no room for argument, "Zack, keep fighting as long as you guys can. Don't give up until your last breath."

"You can count on us." Zack replied, "See you guys soon."

Tommy felt himself choke up and he knew what Zack meant. In the end, they would all join each other in the Morphing Grid; it was something they could all look forward to. "It's been an honor serving with you all." Everyone agreed enthusiastically. "Alpha now."

There was no response from the other end and Tommy watched as the Zords continued to lose power. This was Zordon's doing. "Let us do this!" he slammed his fists into the console and Kim wrapped her arms around him. "We have to do this."

Again, there was no reply from Zordon or Alpha and Tommy felt his heart sink as the Zords were suddenly cut off from their powers. "Damnit Zordon!" How could he do this? How could Zordon take away their sacrifice?

"Tommy, we need to get out of here." Kim whispered softly, "There's no point without the Zords."

The White Ranger had to agree, so he grabbed her and they exited quickly, and more of Zedd's numbers swarmed towards them and Tommy saw Zedd himself heading in their direction.

* * *

Jason fought each of his attackers, all the while keeping an anxious eye on Zedd as he approached them. With every step he took, the ground cracked from the heat that radiated from his being. The evil emperor had his gaze fixed on the White Ranger and was ready for a showdown. Jason glanced over towards Zack and the others and wondered why they hadn't seen Kat return yet. He was forced to focus his attention back to fighting as Ninjor struck at him. "I promise that you'll be at peace when this is over." Jason said the Blue Ninja Master as he raised his hand and set him on fire, "We owe you that."

He kept close track of Zedd's movements and was aware that he had engaged both Tommy and Kim in battle. He smiled underneath his helmet; those two were an unstoppable force. He watched as they fought side by side, moving in unison without saying a word. He moved to help Trini, who was the closest to the fight with Zedd, if need be he could jump in and help his friends. "This is it, Zedd." Tommy challenged as he blocked another punch and Kim kicked out, "You're finished."

"You talk tough Tommy," Zedd drawled confidently, but Jason could hear the frustration in his voice, "But we both know that deep down you're the ones who are finished."

"Maybe." Kim joined in, "But there will always be Power Rangers, we made sure of that."

Zedd laughed, "And I'll destroy them, too."

"And then what?" Tommy landed a hard punch to Zedd's gut, "As long as there's a fight between good and evil, there will always be Power Rangers to protect the innocent."

"Then I'll just make sure there's nothing left for the Power Ranger's to protect. I'll destroy every last corner of the universe if I have to."

"What will you do then, Zedd?" Jason called out, "Who will you rule over then? No one will even care that you even exist."

Jason felt a sense of smug satisfaction as Zedd screamed in fury, but the Red Ranger's smirk faltered as Zedd raised his staff towards the Purple Ranger and she was engulfed in black flames.

"KIMBERLY!" Tommy's scream was horrible and Jason watched as everything around him seemed to slow down.

His heart stopped at the same moment Kim's screams turned to deathly silence.

* * *

Kat gazed at the portal, its vast emptiness chilled her to the core and her feet instinctively took a step back. The key—a small orb--was resting on a pedestal holding the portal open. She had gone into the crevice and after a few yards she realized there was nothing there, it wasn't until after she had relayed the message to the others that she had seen the small entrance on the side of the mountain. She instinctively knew that this was it. As she stepped into the threshold, her communicator began to spark and burn and she knew that the device would no longer work. Now she was faced with a difficult decision.

_Go for someone else._ Her mind whispered to her. _It's not worth your life._

_But it is!_ Her heart challenged. _There isn't time to wait. You're a Power Ranger._

She had wanted so badly to understand what it meant to be a Power Ranger; how time and distance never seemed to change a bond created by the Power. She had tried desperately to find her place in the group, but instead made sacrifices so others could have theirs back.

Kat glanced over her shoulder back towards the cave entrance, hoping that maybe Tommy or Jason would come bursting through. She watched the portal again, the barrier around it glowed a deceptively bright shade of gold. She picked up a fist-sized rock and threw it hard against the barrier. She winced as what looked like hands mercilessly pummeled and chipped away at the stone, before tossing it back in several pieces.

_Think of how much that will hurt._ Her brain tried to reason with her._ There's no reason to do it yourself._

"Yes there is." She said aloud to herself.

_We aren't Rangers because we use the Powers to fight evil monsters; we're Rangers because we chose__to use these powers to do what was right. Morphing doesn't make you a Ranger, the choices you make when given the Power does._

_You're a Power Ranger because you accepted the responsibilities of the Power, not the actual Power itself._

Zack and Jason's words echoed through her mind and she finally understood what it meant to be a Power Ranger: it meant fighting with honor and it meant doing all that was necessary to save those whom they were asked to protect. It meant that sometimes a Ranger had to give up their own happiness so that others can live in peace.

It meant making sacrifices that no one wanted to make.

Kat took a hesitant step forward and then another preparing to charge towards the portal and a voice from the distance stopped her dead in her tracks. "Kat where are you?"

Zack was the one person who could change her mind. He was the one person who made her want to be selfish—let someone else make the sacrifice so that she could be happy.

"KIMBERLY!"

Tommy's scream of horror filled the empty cavern and Kat knew they were dying. If she didn't do this now, then that would be the end of them all.

"Kat, what are you doing?" She couldn't look at Zack; he would stop her if she did. So she charged forward as she felt him reach for her. "Kat stop!" The Black Ranger was fast and he managed to snag her wrist and pull her back into his chest. She turned at met his eyes and the Pink Ranger saw resolve nearly crumbled as she saw his tears.

"I'm sorry, Zack." She whispered and leaned in to kiss his lips one last time, she wanted to remember the feeling of his lips against hers, the fire that rushed through her veins at his touch. His grip slackened as he let his guard down and Kat decided to save his life. "Don't give up." She whispered against his mouth, "Live your life, we'll have plenty of time for each other in the Grid." he looked at her oddly, but she wouldn't allow him to say another word.

She kicked out at his weak ankle and he crumpled to the ground. She started weeping as she turned away and rushed towards the portal before he could react. She knew that he would follow her if she didn't act quickly.

Kat threw her entire body towards the barrier and a fist came flying through the air towards her. She pulled her right hand into a fist and the two clashed and she struggled to keep from being sent flying back. Another fist landed a solid hit to her side and Kat couldn't contain her cry. She held on to her broken hand and kept her focus on the key, another hit her jaw and she felt the blood trickling down her chin. She wanted to turn back so badly, but as another punch landed on her knee and she fell to the ground she realized she had one choice: She could forever live with regrets, or die with none.

Unable to walk, Kat ignored the continued barrage of attacks from the barrier and lashed out her good leg and knocked the podium over. She felt a triumphant smile pull at her lips as she watched the orb shatter and the barrier around her vanished. She felt the edges of her vision turn black as the portal closed, the chill leaving the room.

She tried to stand but she fell straight back into Zack's waiting arms and smiled up at him—grateful that his face was the last thing she would see.

"Why did you do it?" Zack choked out between sobs.

She couldn't give him a full explanation; she didn't have enough breath left. She settled for just a few words; ones she hoped he could understand. "I did it for you."

Zack rocked her back and forth, whispering her name over and over again. She kept her smile on her face as feeling left her body and everything started to fade. The last thing she saw was a flash of Pink.

She had simply done what any of her friends would have done of her. They all would have done for one reason: They were Power Rangers.

And so was she.

* * *

Tommy struggled against Jason and Billy's grip as he fought to reach Kim; he had to save her. Their grip slackened as the lightening around Kim seemed to dissipate and Tommy saw that the Purple Ranger stood unscathed. Tommy turned towards Jason and saw that black flames traveled up and down his right arm. _Well, that's a handy trick._ "Know your opponents, Zedd." The Red Ranger taunted, "I control _all_ fire." The White Ranger turned towards Zedd for his response but he never got one.

There was a loud crash and for a brief moment, Tommy couldn't see.

"What just happened" Tommy heard his voice ring out across the valley, but no one could respond. They all stood dumbfounded as Zedd simply vanished in front of them, his armies toppling over and crumbling to dust.

Tommy's mind began reeling as he tried to piece together what had just occurred, but it was Billy who came to the conclusion faster.

"Someone must have closed the portal!" Billy shouted and everyone's eyes began to dart around, trying to find who they were missing from the group. Billy turned towards the cave entrance crevice pure horror etched across his face. "Zack and Katherine are not accounted for!"

Tommy felt his heart plummet to his stomach as Trini whispered, "They were supposed to wait for one of us. Zordon said if anyone else tried to close it, they would…"

"Don't say it!" Tommy screamed at the Blue Ranger, coming threateningly close to her, "They are not dead!" he shouted the words like a command to his soldiers; he refused to believe they had died while he was forced to accept their sacrifice. He had imagined that they would all live or die together—not some abandoning the rest to live their lives with guilt and grief. Aisha's scream of anguish forced Tommy to follow her gaze towards and the world was rent to pieces.

"POWER DOWN!"

Zack was carrying Kat in his arms, cradling her head into his chest and his face was buried in her bloodstained hair. Zack stopped as everyone surrounded him and the first Black Ranger knelt down, but refused to relinquish the girl in his arms. "I tried to stop her, but I couldn't get to her in time--she closed the portal herself." He choked out.

Zack's words didn't register with Tommy. The White Ranger fell to his knees and wondered when the tears would start to fall. He simply stared at the young blonde as if waiting for her to wake. "We have to get her to Zordon." He said softly, "He can heal her."

Adam knelt down and reached to find a pulse. He shook his head, "She's gone."

Tommy shook his head, refusing to let those words be true. She couldn't be dead! This wasn't how it was supposed to be.

Suddenly Tommy felt his heart shatter with the realization that he would never be able to make things right with her. He would never be able to tell her that he was sorry for all that had gone wrong between them. He would never be able to explain how much she had meant to him, how she had saved him and helped him in his darkest hour. Now, he would never be able to thank her for all she had done, no matter how ungrateful he had been.

"You know what gave me hope through all of this?" Finally, Zack's voice reached Tommy's ears, "You know what kept me from completely losing faith in everything?" He paused and wiped the blood off of Kat's forehead, "It was the thought that once this was all over, that maybe Kat and I would have a future. The possibility of having her in my life was something that kept me going. I imagined a future with her and know…I…" He couldn't say anything else as his throat constricted and he began to sob.

Tommy looked into Zack's eyes and what he saw made him begin to weep. Tommy saw anguish and heartbreak in the first Black Rangers features; he saw complete and utter despair. And Tommy understood.

Zack loved Kat.

Just like how Tommy loved Kim.

Tommy turned towards the Purple Ranger and noticed that she had fallen to her knees as well, sobbing uncontrollably into her hands. Tommy took a moment and glanced at the rest of his teammates. Jason and Adam were consoling Zack, while Trini was whispering comforting words to Billy who was weeping. Aisha had buried herself in Rocky's chest and the Green Ranger was crying into her hair. Tommy became very aware that Kim was alone and he instinctively reached out to pull her into her arms.

"What a tragedy indeed! The furry little feline has chocked on a mouse." Zedd's snarling voice rang out from all around them and Tommy froze in mid motion, "Well don't cry kiddies, you'll all be joining her now!"

Tommy and the others rose to their feet and Tommy felt absolute fury race through him. "How are you still alive?"

The only response was a wicked cackle in the wind.

"The portal may be closed, but the effect will not be instantaneous. We will have to wear him down and make him use up his reserves of power!" Billy turned towards the others, "Unfortunately, depending on how much power Zedd has stored…we have not won this battle yet.

"But we will." Rocky finished and they lined up behind Tommy.

"Just waiting your command, boss." Jason smiled with a determined gleam in his eye. Zack set Kat's body down carefully and Tommy was grateful as she was teleported away. The remaining Rangers lined up next to him, ready to face whatever would come next.

"I want you guys to remember Kat when you're fighting. Remember everything she has meant to us as our friend and teammate. Remember her love for us and our love for her, let that give you strength." He turned back to the front and faced Zedd as he appeared.

"It's Morphin' Time!"

* * *

_One chapter left._

_This was the hardest chapter to write and I even had Kat's death scene written from the beginning. Since the Zack and Kat coupling was not an original part of my plot, adding him in was difficult. It made her harder to kill (and that was hard enough) because she suddenly had a good reason to live (not that she didn't before). When I first started this story, I knew that death was going to be an important part of what the Rangers faced-- if this battle was going to contain real danger and have real consequences…then real sacrifices had to be made. I didn't kill Kat because I liked her less (I think she gets a bad rap in some fiction); it was where her character arc took me. She had never truly used the Power (and promptly lost it the one time she did), so she didn't understand what it meant to be a Power Ranger. Her last act was proof that she finally had the answers to all the secrets she had longed to understand. _

_Coming Soon-- Part 11: Honor. The Rangers face the final battle with Zedd and they aren't out of the woods yet. There are still more sacrifices to be made, but the Rangers are ready for the end—whatever that may be._

_Again, please let me know what you think. _


	11. Honor

Part 11: Honor

* * *

And so they stood: Power Rangers facing the end, determined to vanquish evil, or at least die trying. Kat's sacrifice had reminded them all of the burden they had been asked to bear the day they had been offered the Power—the day they had been asked to risk their lives for the good of mankind. It was a decision none of them would ever regret. Sacrifice was part of being a Power Ranger; but so was honor, and they found honor in fighting next to their friends—brothers and sisters in all but blood—and dying alongside them when the time came.

Honor and Sacrifice: The ideals a Ranger lived and breathed.

Two words that beat in a Ranger's heart in every battle, it echoed in their minds with every punch in defense of another, it was as much a part of their lives as breathing. In life a Ranger would embrace these ideals and carry them even into death.

A Ranger could never be broken.

* * *

Kim's tears had quickly dried and her grief was replaced with a righteous fury. Zedd had callously slaughtered thousands—possibly millions—of innocents, all in an attempt to eliminate 10 teenagers who stood up to his maniacal schemes to conquer those weaker than he. And now the blood of a Ranger had been spilt to stop his reign. The Purple Ranger was determined to see that Kat's sacrifice—the blood she had shed—would not be in vain.

Failure was not an option.

Kim's fury grew as the moments ticked on and Zedd had yet to re-appear. A deep unease settled in her heart and she wondered if once again, Zedd would flee from Earth only to return with an even more malicious plan to destroy the Rangers. Was this a battle they could ever win?

The Purple Ranger shook those thoughts from her head and reminded herself that evil _would _fall and as a Power Ranger she would do her part to make sure that happened.

The familiar beep of her communicator drew her attention back to her teammates. "What is it Alpha?" Jason asked as Tommy leaned close by, having given his communicator to T.J. "Where's Zedd."

"Lord Zedd is attacking the Military Base where T.J. and the others are." Even now, Zedd was determined to destroy those that the Ranger's loved most. "Even though he is weaker and alone, those at the base are no match for him."

"Then let's go."

Kim stood close to Tommy, reminding herself that when this was over—if they survived—she could fall into Tommy's arms and seek solace there. She would use his arms as a shelter from all the darkness and grief they had faced in the past few days. He was the only one who could heal her; if there was any chance the wounds could be healed at all.

But for now, she would forget the fear, the grief, the despair and focus on the love for her friends and family and her hope that they could have the future she had once wanted for herself—a normal life without evil lurking in every shadow.

When they landed at the base, screams echoed all around her but Kim focused on one voice and charged with the rest as Lord Zedd hovered over Carlos and Justin, the former covering the latter from what was about to be a killing blow. Ashley and Cassie were lying on the ground nearby, slowly struggling back to their feet with no signs of serious injury. T.J. was nowhere in sight.

The White Ranger reached Zedd first, blocking Zedd's staff with his wrist and the Red Ranger knocked the evil emperor off his feet. The Blue and Yellow Rangers covered Carlos and Justin while ordering them all back inside.

Kim joined the others in a circle around Zedd—the black, blistered skin had started to fall away and the familiar red muscle was revealed. Zedd was weakening and—the wind whipped around Kim wildly—the Power Rangers were growing stronger.

"Let's finish this."

* * *

Jason kept his mind blank—he didn't think, he didn't rationalize, he simply felt. He let his anger, grief, and love swallow him whole and provide him with the strength to finish Zedd. His body moved with agile ferocity and his powers worked in synch with his heart. There was no doubt in the Red Ranger's mind that Zedd would never be a threat again.

It was simply a matter of time.

Aisha kicked out at Zedd's legs, driving the self-proclaimed emperor into a kneeling position as Billy and Adam coordinated two solid kicks to the back of his neck which sent him sprawling face first into the dirt.

"Oh how the mighty have fallen." Tommy's voice dripped with venom that harkened back to a dark time in Ranger history and Jason felt chills run down his spine as he recalled Tommy's taunts behind the Green Ranger mask. Jason looked around the group and what he saw shocked him to the core. Billy and Adam wore identical expressions of hatred and disgust. The three female Rangers stood just centimeters apart, there bodies tense and though he could not see their faces, Jason was certain they were looks as deadly as the women who wore them. Rocky and Tommy towered close to Zedd and Jason could see in their body language that they were prepared to deliver the final blow. Jason realized that his own body mimicked their posture and every instinct in his body screamed to beat Zedd to a bloody pulp.

It was Zack that shocked him the most; however, and the former Black Ranger wore no expression at all. The young man who had never been silent; who's eyes beamed with amusement that was second to none; who had never went anywhere with out a bounce in his step now stood like a robot that had never known what it was like to experience the joy life had to offer. If anyone had a reason to want Zedd dead, it would be Zack.

"Are you going to kill me?" Zedd whispered as he lifted himself from the ground, "Are you, the great White Ranger, going to ignore all that Zordon taught you and murder me while I sit helpless at your feet?"

And then Jason wondered: Were they going to have to kill Zedd? _Could _they kill Zedd?

The simple answer was yes. They all had the power to end the life of a man who committed enough crimes to warrant the execution. Still, as Power Rangers weren't they held to a higher standard? Were they really capable of being judge, jury and executioner? Was that the role they were meant to play?

They had been chosen only to protect and defend; was this crossing that line?

"I could justify it." The White Ranger's voice was dangerously soft and everyone's head snapped in his direction. "I could say that the only way to ensure the safety of Earth would be to kill you."

Jason felt his mouth go dry and he licked his lips nervously, unsure what path Tommy would take and even more unsure of which path was the right one. Tommy was right; Zedd's death was probably the only way to stop him. They had let Zedd and Rita flee once and the consequences were catastrophic. Was it a risk they were willing to take? Tommy looked at each of his teammates, looking directly at Jason when he asked the next question, "What do you guys think?"

Jason wanted to answer, but the situation that lay before them was just as confusing and the thoughts in Jason's head were too conflicting. To the Red Rangers, they were damned either way. Kill Zedd while he was powerless and they all took a step in a direction no Ranger was meant to go. Let Zedd be and they were putting the fate of the Earth in jeopardy. The group fell silent and Zedd seemed amused at the predicament he had created. Finally, a voice spoke up and Jason was surprised at Zack's emotionless response.

"We don't kill."

Those three words struck Jason deeply and the Red Ranger felt a heavy burden lifted from his shoulder as everyone in the group nodded in agreement—even the tension in Tommy's stance seemed at ease when Zack voiced the truth. Rangers didn't execute there enemies—they held on to honor until the very end.

"You are no threat to us in your present state." Billy stated, weaving a plan, "We shall work with Earth authorities and find a way to hold you and you will be put on trial and appropriately judged for your crimes against this planet. We will allow the right authorities decide your punishment—that is not our place as Power Rangers."

Jason, as well as everyone else, seemed satisfied with that conclusion but Zedd would not be defeated so easily. He cried out in fury as he launched himself back on his feet, "I will not be taken anywhere and judged by beings that should be licking my feet for mercy."

Even as he spoke these words, he began to sag and his body seemed to waste away. The muscle was no longer tight and sagged around his bones. He seemed to struggle to hold himself up and Jason wondered exactly what price Zedd was going to pay for his new powers. "We aren't going to kill you, Zedd." Jason quipped, "No matter how much you beg us or try and push us too. You're going to face an appropriate punishment for your crimes, but that punishment won't be decided by us."

"You don't have any power to stop us." Tommy reminded, "You're nothing but a pathetic man with no power and you aren't worth the Power Ranger's time."

Zedd tried to rasp out an argument, but he was too weak to even form the words. Jason watched with a mixture of satisfaction and pity as the Emperor of Darkness was now nothing more than a pathetic creature that didn't need Power Rangers to stop him. He could now be taken down by any man or woman; and he would face these men and women as any criminal should.

The White and Green Rangers reached out to take Zedd but he struck back with a surprising show of strength that Jason could not have foreseen. The Rangers had let their guards down and while Zedd was no threat to a Ranger with Powers he still was dangerous. He held Billy in a choke hold and the former Blue Ranger's face began to change colors as Zedd caught off his oxygen supply. "What will you do now?" Zedd taunted as he used Billy's body to shield his own. "You either kill me and save your friend, or kill me once he's dead at my feet. I'll admit that you've won this battle, but it will end on _my_ terms."

Jason watched as the White Ranger lifted his arm and prepared to deliver what was likely going to be a killing blow. Billy shifted his body in preparation to dodge the blast, though Jason doubted that Tommy's powers would ever hurt him.

_Crack!_

And with that, Zedd was dead at Tommy's feet.

* * *

Tommy felt numb as he stared at Zedd's body; his blood pooling around the body as Billy pulled himself away with help from Trini. Everyone was staring at the White Ranger in wonder and surprise and Tommy slowly lowered his hand in shock and curiosity.

Tommy had never gotten the chance to take a shot at Zedd, so how was it that the emperor was now dead? And was it really over?

It took Kim's hand on his arm to break him from his reverie and his mind focused sharply on the scene in front of him. The loud crack right before Zedd had fallen sounded like a gun, so where was the shooter? His teammates were way ahead of him with that line of thought and had already gone in search of the gunman. Kim was the only one who stood next to him and waited with him for the answers they needed. How had Zedd fallen and was he really gone? Was the battle finally over?

"T.J.!" Rocky's cry caused Tommy's heart to clench and he grabbed onto Kimberly's hand as they ran over in the direction of the Green Ranger's cry.

There, crouched behind a truck, was the would-be Red Turbo Ranger, clutching a riffle and holding his other hand over a large wound that was bleeding profusely. His dark skin was startlingly pale and Tommy instinctively knew there was nothing they could do for T.J. "I was aiming for his shoulder." T.J. chocked out, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. "It's kind of hard to aim in my condition." He let out a small laugh and looked straight up at Tommy, his gaze piercing through the White Ranger's helmet and meeting his eyes head on. "I didn't mean to kill him." He added, "You guys were right about him facing a trial like any criminal."

Tommy shook his head and tried desperately to keep his voice from shaking. "You did the right thing." He stated firmly as he placed his hand on T.J.'s shoulder, "You saved a life." Billy nodded graciously, "You acted as any Power Ranger would have."

T.J. smiled at that, "I think it would have been cool to be a Power Ranger."

How was it that even after Zedd was gone, another life was about to be lost. "You _are_ a Power Ranger." Tommy emphasized firmly, "You're a Red Ranger." T.J.'s smile widened, "I've seen you in uniform from one life and you would have donned that uniform in this life." Tommy could hear the sniffles from the girls behind him as the guys swallowed their own tears. Even Zack, who had seemed unaffected by any emotions, was once again moved by the death of another innocent. "Where you go next;" Tommy whispered, "You'll be a Power Ranger there. You'll meet your team and understand the Power that is granted to you because of the choices you make in this life. In the Morphing Grid you'll know that it isn't the Power that makes you a Ranger, but the honor you lived your life with and the sacrifices you made."

And though T.J. had never directly touched the Power in this world, Tommy knew in his heart that his words were true.

T.J.'s eyes grew dim and with his last breath he uttered, "The world is Red."

Tommy reached out and closed T.J.'s eyes, taking a moment to grieve. He then turned back to Zedd's body and walked up to it with a purpose in his step.

It was time to determine if the war was truly finished.

He hesitated for a moment and then reached out and placed two fingers against his neck. When he felt nothing, he stepped back with relief and whispered two words that brought hope from the darkness:

"Its over."

With the weight of war lifted from their shoulders, the Rangers fell into each other's arms and wept.

* * *


	12. Epilogue

**Epilogue: One Week Later**

* * *

For the next week, Kimberly went through the motions of her life: she embraced her family and friends, spoke to strangers and news reporters with the vivacious attitude everyone had known her for. She told them the story of how she became a Power Ranger, how she left the Power behind for another calling, and how it brought her back to action in Earth's darkest hour. She spoke with warmth and pride, but her eyes told the truth of what she felt—numb.

She had rarely spoken to her teammates in that week, they had all been pulled in different directions as they tried to find their families and discover just how much damage had been done. The few times they had crossed paths, she could see that they felt just as cold and empty as her. Even when she tried to find time alone with Tommy, she couldn't muster any feeling of safety and serenity she had in the past. She knew in time things would set themselves right, but for now the pain and grief of all that they had faced, all they had fought for and for all that they had lost was still to new to accept and move past. In order to survive and remain whole in front the of the eyes of every survivor on Earth, Kimberly had to stand tall and confident because if she and her friends did not then the frail hope that held the citizens of Earth together would surely break and all they had fought for could be lost. She would have to wait until after Kat's funeral and then, in the presence of her friends could she break down.

They had already held a public memorial for Kat, whose parents were still struggling to understand exactly why their daughter had died and Kim found that in the end, no reason could be given. A memorial was to be built in Angel Grove Park as a dedication to the Rangers and to all that had fallen for their cause—including Lt. Stone, Ninjor, Curtis and T.J. The location of that future memorial was already littered with flowers—mainly pink Roses.

Kat's parents had agreed to allow her body to be kept at the Command Center, a place that would someday house all of their bodies if and when the time came. They were under strict orders not to reveal the location to anyone else and they soundly agreed. They may not have understood why Kat had made her sacrifice, but they respected and honored what their daughter had done. They would be able to visit their daughter anytime they wished and the Rangers all agreed that the Command Center had meant so much to them that it was an appropriate place to be at rest.

Kim closed her eyes and fingered her communicator: Tonight would be a night simply for Rangers. They would gather together and honor their comrade, their friend, together. Kim inhaled and pressed the teleportation button on her communicator. Tonight she felt no thrill as she was whisked through the air, no excitement or anticipation for the fight to come. She felt nothing but a heavy heart as she landed on the ground just outside the Command Center and didn't open her eyes until she heard eight other bodies landing around her. Kat's body was resting in a tomb inside, but everyone felt that being outside was a better place for them. It was what Kat would have wanted.

She appraised each of her teammates and saw that they too bore the burdens of the past week, the strain of swallowing their grief and wearing a mask with no emotion. It was time to let that all go and feel again, but Kim was suddenly afraid to let that happen. How could they deal with this kind of pain? Could they move on with their lives after all that had been lost?

She saw Zack's somber expression and the Purple Ranger realized that they would _never_ see the Zack-man again. The Zachary Taylor she had grown up with, who danced instead of walked, who laughed when a challenge was sent his way; who was charming and sweet and honest in every sense of those words, had died alongside Katharine Hilliard. They had all been changed by the events of the past few weeks and it was time to discover just who they had all become and what they would do as those new people.

Aisha clutched a bouquet of pink roses and silently handed each Ranger a single rose. For a few minutes no one spoke, what words could anyone say that could heal the pain. Kim guessed that everyone expected Tommy to speak first, to be their leader and take charge; but the Purple Ranger doubted that Tommy could be that leader right now. They didn't need to be a team with a leader that everyone followed; they needed to be friends who walked hand in hand, side by side.

Kim watched Tommy closely and the White Ranger was indeed struggling—trying to find words that could never come and Kim placed a comforting hand on his arm to let him know that it was okay. Sometimes a leader just needed to hang back and let things happen.

And she was right.

"Kat was beautiful, brave, honest and selfless." Zack's words were a hushed whisper at first, "She was the shortest serving Ranger to this day, but she stood by us all as if she had been here since the beginning. She made sacrifices that were best for the team and for her friends and though she struggled to find her place amongst us she didn't once doubt the love in her heart." Zack's voice grew stronger with each phrase. "She told me that she was never a Power Ranger, but her actions always proved otherwise. Accepting the Power because you are needed is a great honor, but giving it up for the same reason is an even greater sacrifice." Everyone nodded in agreement and Zack continued, "Kat told me to keep living my life; not to give up and to always remember that there is more waiting for us in the Grid. There is no end, just a new beginning."

With that Zack turned inside and everyone followed suit. Jason followed Zack, Trini and Billy just behind, followed by Rocky, Aisha and Adam, and lastly Tommy and Kim stayed as close to the White Ranger as she could. Inside, Alpha and Zordon remained silent and both understood that this time was meant for the nine of them and for no one else. They stopped in front of the marker placed where Kat lay and each Ranger placed their rose in a vase specially created to keep their petals from ever wilting. Their beauty and grace would be as eternal as Kat's.

As Kim reached out to place her rose, her skin brushed Tommy's hand and the wall she had built in the last week crumbled and cracked. She almost sighed in relief when, in that instant, tears spilled down her cheeks and her teammates followed suit. They all embraced each other and for several long minutes they allowed the emotions that had been buried for seven agonizing days finally spill over and out. Kim turned and buried herself in Tommy's chest and found the hope and peace she had longed for when he wrapped his arms around her with a silent promise to never let her go again.

"So what now?" Adam asked softly, rubbing his sleeve across his wet cheeks. "What do we do next?"

"The future is in your hands." Zordon replied, "There is plenty of time in the future to discuss the future of the Power Rangers, for now you should all focus on the Earth's future, and more importantly your own."

"Some of us have a longer future than others." Trini whispered softly. "How will we deal with that?"

"One day at a time." Tommy answered firmly, his leadership qualities finally kicking in. "We stick together as long as possible and when the day comes for someone—or all of us—to go, we face it head on." Kim smiled with pride at Tommy's words, "We rebuild this planet, live our lives as much as possible, and when the time comes we defend it as only Power Rangers can."

There were cries of agreement and Jason clapped Tommy hard on the shoulder, "Couldn't have said it better myself, bro."

"So where do we start?" Rocky asked, "We need to lead this rebuilding of Earth."

Without a moment's hesitation, Billy turned towards the console and pressed in a few coordinates. Kim's curiosity was piqued but she didn't have a chance to voice her question before she was once again teleported away. When they landed, the first Blue Ranger turned to them all, "We start here."

Kim smiled and looped her hand with Tommy's as they gazed at the ground where the Youth Center once stood. The rubble had been cleared and the dead had been honored. "This place meant more to this city and more to us than anything else." Tommy vocalized his approval of Billy's choice, "It housed our friendships and our secrets and was a place anyone could go and still feel at home. We rebuild it exactly as it once was."

Kim leaned into Tommy and felt a warm blush spread across her cheeks when he kissed the top of her head; the gentle action speaking volumes of how far they had come and the future they would have together. She caught the eyes of her teammates and saw that the action affected them just as much. It served as a reminder of what they fought for.

They had a future that was still bright with hope and filled with promises and new horizons.

* * *

_Fin._

* * *

_Thank you all for reading and please continue on to the afterward for a longer note._


	13. Afterword

I didn't want to pull the reader straight from the story with author's notes at the end of the epilogue, so I thought it best to keep them separate.

* * *

When I first started this story a part of me doubted I would ever actually finish it. I didn't know if it was a good story; if I could do the characters justice and find the words to tell this story.

First off I absolutely must thank you all that made it this far with me. Those loyal readers who have reviewed often and with wonderful, constructive words of encouragement that let me know the story I was writing was one worth telling.

Thanks to:

**Anjirika**—you're reviews (excuse me for borrowing your phrase, but it brought a smile to my face every time you used it) were bloody brilliant! You were so enthusiastic with each review and I was so deeply inspired by your loyalty. I kept away from reading longer stories while working on this one, but my intent is to read Neo Ninjetti next and I doubt I will be disappointed. Thank you for everything!

**jps1926--**I was so excited to see you were reading my story. I had noticed that you were loyal to Power Ranger fiction and a wonderful reviewer; I knew I must be doing something alright if you were reading my story.

**C2—**You're reviews came in late to the game, but were none the less wonderful. I'm glad you appreciated the notes I left at the end of the chapter. I wanted to share my experience writing this story with my readers, it wasn't just a story I wrote for personal gratification—it was a way to share what I took from Power Rangers and themes that meant a lot to me.

**Angelrei06, hewhoreaps, NatyAlbie, nikkitan89, dangerouscutestuff, and probably a lot more that I can't remember—**you all were such devoted readers who made sure to review often and with such wonderful encouragement that kept me going when the story became a struggle to write. It is readers like you that keep the love of Power Ranger fan fiction alive and strong.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed (and those who didn't) for coming along with me and the Rangers on this journey. I wanted to write a story about honor, sacrifice, hope and despair. This story was not just about the Rangers going on another quest for new Powers—the powers were secondary in this story. The sacrifices they would have to make to obtain them, the lives they would defend and the lives that would be lost were more important to this story. That being a Power Ranger had little to do with Power and more to do with the choices you made. It was a story of a new romance blooming between two young people who had known each other for only a few days but shared more together then others would in their entire lifetime. This was a story of a young man who stepped back and realized that being a leader sometimes meant following—he overcame his self doubts and was the genuine friend everyone could lean on. It was the story of two old lovers facing the mistakes they had made, the consequences of not following their hearts and coming to terms with each other. Love once lost can be found again and though two people may change the love that they shared doesn't have to. And most importantly: it was a story of friendship.

I hope that you all felt this too.

I also hope some of you are scratching your heads and saying: "That can't be it! Sure you resolved some things—mainly Tommy and Kim, but that can't really be the end?"

Well good readers, never fear because you are indeed correct. Issues and fears cannot always be wrapped up so easily. The Rangers dealt with intense issues and I felt that they all couldn't—and shouldn't—be dealt with in this one story. Especially since this story was told from only four POVs.

So what will happen between Trini and Billy? She's been granted immortality while he will ultimately suffer the price of humanity. How will their relationship resolve itself?

What of Zack? Will he recover from the devastating loss? How will he choose to live his life after Kat's death?

What about Rocky and Adam? Will their friendship recover from Adam's perceived doubt in Rocky's abilities as a Red Ranger? Can Rocky accept his place in the group and separate his legacy from Jason's?

Will Aisha finally confront Rocky on whatever is going on between them? Will she find her place as Kim's friend and not a replacement for Trini?

What did Adam experience with that healing connection to the Grid?

What will Kim do when she realizes a devastating affect their new Power will have on her and her future with Tommy? And what will Tommy do when he meets three students who have a penchant for the colors Red, Yellow and Blue?

I, of course, have plans to provide answers to these questions and more in a series of vignettes entitled _Legacy._ Not a full fledged story, but more of a window into certain times in the Rangers future each from a different perspective and a different time. Not all stories will provide a satisfactory conclusion, but they will give reason and understanding to the issues brought forth in _Honor and Sacrifice _and the consequences of the choices they had to make. The last vignette will serve as a springboard for a full fledged sequel entitled _Faith and Heroes._ I'd provide you with a summary of _Faith and Heroes_ but it would give too much away from _Legacy_. I will only tell you that _FaH_ will expand upon the snippets of things you will see in _Legacy_ and the Rangers will have to make new choices and more sacrifices as they face something they never believed possible.

I should warn you all that _Faith and Heroes_ is a long ways from being ready and I'm still working on the plot and tweaking some ideas. _Legacy_ will be coming shortly, but updates will be sporadic. I want to nail each character and give them their moments to shine (though sometimes they won't).

In the meantime I am working on another story—more specifically a trilogy of stories—though the overall series has yet to be named, the first act will be entitled _Whispers in the Dark. _The second and third acts will be titled _Night Falls _and _Breaking Dawn, _respectively_._ I had never intended to work on multiple stories at the same time, but the muses are abusing me and some days I get inspired for one story more than the other. I assure you that my devotion to my work is as strong as ever and I have no intention of letting any story fall to the way side.

The fist couple chapters of _Whispers in the Dark_ are near completion and will be posted soon. I have a summary posted on my bio, but I'll tell you this much. It will involve the merging of two generations of Rangers and will involve _many_ couplings (and a couple of triangles), but of course I have a love of T/K so their relationship will take front and center stage. Other pairings include: Kat/Zack, Adam/Tanya, Rocky/Aisha, Jason/Trini/Billy, and some hints at Conner/Kira/Trent. I will warn you that these pairings don't always mean romance and happy endings.

I also have a few Kim/Tommy short stories in mind—this time there will be no Powers, just two people rediscovering each other and their place in the other's life.

I'll quit rambling now, but thank you to those who have stuck with me in the bitter end. I hope that you all will continue with me into the future and keep this fandom kicking.

Silver Phoenix Ranger


End file.
